


Run Away With Me

by Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Gendrya - Freeform, mention of self harm, mention of suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-05-15 23:00:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 65
Words: 53,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19305598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya/pseuds/Wyneb_Ceffyl_Arya
Summary: Arya isn't happy when her family is forced to move to King's Landing due to her father's promotion, but between a cousin she'd never known, a job doing what she loves and a certain mechanic, it just might turn out to be worthwhile. Until her past catches up with her and she begins to re-evaluate life.





	1. GENDRY

**Author's Note:**

> This is my third attempt at GOT Fan Fic, any advice or tips, or just general comments are greatly appreciated. I'm more of a facts person usually, writing fiction is still slightly alien to me, but I'm loving every moment of it! Thank you to everyone who reads anything I write, I actually love you all (which is why I will always reply to each and every comment!).
> 
> Special thank you to Baamon5evr for helping with my summary!

    “Up, up.” A gruff voice called switching the lights on.

  
“Ugh.” Gendry groaned rubbing his arm across his eyes. He turned to the clock on his bedside table, _6am_ it read. Of course. He swung his legs out of the bed and grabbed a pair of boxers from the draw next to his bedside. The other three boys he shared the room with were doing likewise.

  
“When I leave, I’m never getting up at 6am ever again.” the boy called Roderik declared.

  
It’s not all that bad Gendry thought, he actually didn’t mind the early mornings, the hard work or any of the other things the boys always grumbled about. This home was far better than the ones he’d been in previously. He still couldn’t read or write well, but here they had been teaching him a trade. He’d been at this home for near two years now, and in that time he’d become a great mechanic. As he stood up from the bed Gendry stretched allowing his joints to crack.

  
“Why do you do that?” Martyn, the youngest boy in the room at 14, asked.

  
Gendry just shrugged. He actually couldn’t remember when or why he did it every morning, but he did. When he started to do something he often found the habit sticking with him.

  
“I’m outta here this week.” Jon declared, he was a small dark haired boy at 17 years old, approaching 18.

  
“You want me to throw you a party?” Gendry asked sarcastically.

  
“Ha! You’ll miss me when I’m gone, Bull.” Jon said with a small laugh.

  
“Y’know,” Gendry replied, “I actually might miss you.”

  
“Gay.” Martyn added.

  
Gendry shrugged, the intended insult hadn’t bothered him one ounce.

  
“Marya says if yous don’t get to breakfast now, you’ll be goin’ hungry til’ dinner.” a small kid said sticking his head into the room.

  
“Better get moving then.” Jon said with a wry smile.

  
    Gendry had been born in Flea Bottom, Kings Landing and had spent his entire 17 years there. His mother died when he was young, and he’d never had a father, so he’d been moved from group home to group home. Most were grim, run by people who seemed to care more about free labour than caring for the children within. Gendry supposed he was lucky, some kids didn’t even have group homes, he’d seen the street kids. Gendry’s size was also something lucky for him, he’d always been a big lad and strong at that. No one thought to mess with him, especially once they learned how stubborn he was. When he was around 8 or 9, one of the adults at a group home pointed out how bullheaded he was and started to refer to him as _The Bull_ and the name had stuck to this day. Gendry realised at 12 or 13 to _never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength_ he’d told himself _then it can never be your weakness_. As a child, Gendry had picked up whittling from someone, and he’d grown rather good at it, he took to carving figures of bulls and carving bulls on to all his belongings, it would signal something belonged to him. The whittling also help Gendry direct his anger into something.

  
    “Hey Jon, I heard when yous leave they gives you all the details about yerself that yous don’t know!” Some kid mumbled around a mouthful of food.

  
“I don’t know if I want to know.” Jon replied.

  
“Scared what you’ll find out?” Gendry teased.

  
“What difference will it make now?” Jon said sadly.

  
Gendry gave his friend a small sad smile, he agreed with him.

  
“C’mon boys, work time.” Marya said striding into the room. She was a large lady, somewhere in her late 50s, her hair was greying, her brown eyes never missed a thing, and despite her gruff attitude, she actually cared for the boys in her care.

  
The younger boys would be off to lessons, Marya’s daughter-in-law and another woman taught them to read, write and do sums. The older boys all learnt trades, unless they were particularly smart, then Marya would seek out other work for them. Jon was a smart boy. Marya had got him a job as Steward to the City Commander; Gendry had no idea how the woman had even managed that one. Gendry worked in the auto-shop just next door to the group home, run by Marya’s husband Davos.


	2. ARYA

    “We have a surprise for your 16th name day!” Her mother told her one morning.

  
“My name day isn’t for another month!” Arya blurted out.

  
“Yes, but things take time to plan.” Her mother smiled.

  
“Mother..?” Arya asked hesitantly starting to panic that this was some kind of trick.

  
“Hang on, wait for your siblings.” mother added.

  
Arya started to squirm in her seat. She hated sitting around waiting with a passion, she had no patience whatsoever. Arya placed her arms along the arms of her chair, and she flexed her hands into fists then flat again, over and over. It was something she’d learned a while ago, it helped ease the impatience she felt when she had to sit or stand around.

  
    Eventually Arya and her mother were joined in the room by her brothers Robb, Bran and Rickon and her sister Sansa.

  
“Is father joining us?” Sansa said sweetly.

  
“No dear, he’s busy.” Mother replied. “Your father has earned a promotion!”

  
Arya blinked, her father was already the First Minster of _The North_ what could he possibly have been promoted to? She allowed her mind to wander for a few moments as her siblings chattered.

  
“Oh no.” Arya gasped when she realised. “But Mother, we can’t leave _The North_!”

  
“It’ll be good for you Arya!” her mother retorted.

  
“Oh, Mother I can’t wait! King’s Landing is meant to be wonderful!” Sansa chirped.

  
“It’s meant to stink of shit.” Arya grumbled.

  
“Arya!” Sansa chided. “It’s a place of class and beauty.”

  
Arya rolled her eyes and sighed.

  
“C’mon now, it won’t be that bad.” Robb said ruffling her hair.

  
“Easy for you to say, you don’t have to stay there if you don’t want! You’re nearly 18!” Arya threw back.

  
“But they keep different Gods to us down South.” Bran added in a deadpan voice.

  
“And what about our friends?” Little Rickon whined.

  
“Bran, many people keep different Gods, I keep different Gods to you!” mother cooed running her fingers through Bran’s thick auburn hair. “And Rickon, you will make new friends.”

  
“It’s still meant to stink of shit.” Arya muttered.

  
“Arya!” Her mother chided.

  
“I thought you said it was a surprise for my name day!” Arya frowned.

  
“Well yes, we’ll all be together for your name day!”

  
 Arya frowned deeper in response, this meant they’d be separated first.

  
    “Your father is leaving Monday, he’s taking you and Sansa with him.” her mother informed her.  
“Why?” Arya challenged. “I want to stay in _The North_!”

  
“The sooner you get there the better Arya. You need to start buckling down at school, you’re a smart girl, but you get in too much trouble.”

  
“It’s the wolf blood!” Robb chuckled.

  
Arya barred her teeth at her eldest brother in response, but he knew it was only in jest. Father always said Arya had the wolf blood. She was the only one of her siblings that took after her fathers side of the family. All her brothers and sister had their mothers tall, slender stature, blue eyes and auburn hair. Arya however was small with brown hair and grey eyes. Arya didn’t mind being different to the rest of her siblings too much, but her sister always used it to take digs at her, she once told her she was a bastard - Arya had only been 6 and ran away for hours before her father and Robb found her.

  
“How come the boys aren’t coming with us?” Sansa asked softly.

  
“We have to get everything sorted here. So they’ll come with me. We’ll all be together for Arya’s name day.” her mother answered.  
  
    “This is ridiculous! It’s not fair!” Arya said to her father that night when he came to check on her. “She tried to pass it off as a surprise for my name day! Father, please, I don’t want to leave _The North_ , please!” She begged.

  
“Arya, I can’t exactly leave you here alone can I?” He said pulling her into a hug. “And besides, I’d miss you too much.”

  
“It’s not fair dad.” She sighed into his chest.

  
“There’s a lot in life that isn’t fair, Arya.” He smoother her hair flat. “You have it better than most.”

  
“I know, I do know.”

  
“You’ll meet new friends.”

  
“I don’t have any friends.”

  
“Well you’ll make some.”

  
“No one likes me dad.”

  
“I like you!”

  
“You’re my father, you _have_ to like me!”

  
“Not necessarily..” he teased.

  
“Everyone thinks I’m a boy, or that I’m weird, or they just compare me to Sansa and Robb. They..” Arya bit down on her lip, she'd considered expanding on what the kids at school did to her, but there was nothing to be done about it now, so she let it be.

  
“You just have more of _The North_ in you than they do.”

  
“Then why are you making me leave?”

  
“Because I’m your father.” he gave her a pointed look that told her it wasn't up for discussion.  
  
    Sunday after lunch her mother entered her room. She turned around the room briefly.

  
“Arya!” She yelled startling the girl who hadn’t noticed her mother enter through her headphones. “Have you even started packing?”

  
“Yes..” Arya said motioning to an open suitcase propped against a wall with two pairs of shoes inside.

  
“You realise you are leaving in the morning!” She scolded.

  
“Yes.” Arya answered flatly.

  
“Arya..” her mother sighed. “I’ll help you.”

  
“I don’t want to leave.” Arya said quietly.

  
“Why?” Her mother sank to the bed sitting next to her.

  
“Everyone already thinks I’m weird, I don’t need more people to know that.”

  
“Arya Stark!” Her mother took her hands into her own, “You are a wilful and wild young woman, but you’re beautiful, smart, funny and kind. You will make friends.”

  
Arya slumped against her headboard, a glazed look forming over her eyes, she’d never really had any friends, why would Kings Landing be any different.

  
“Come on, I’ll help you pack.”


	3. GENDRY

  
    “It’s actually true, they do give you information about your family when you’re about to leave.” Jon told Gendry the night before his 18th name day.

  
“I don’t get it Jon,” Gendry said, “If you had a family, why didn’t they come for you sooner?”

  
“Maybe they didn’t know? I don’t know..” Jon hesitated.

  
“I know I have no family to find, so what difference does it make to me.” Gendry said with a sad smile.

  
"I suppose it’s nice to believe there’s someone else out there that shares my blood. And you’re bound to have a dad somewhere?”

  
“Even if he turned up tomorrow, I’d rather stay here.” Gendry shook his head. Davos and Marya had been better parents to him than he could have imagined, and he doubted if he did have a dad he could be any better.  
  
    “Gendry lad, take a break.” Davos said after Gendry had spent hours working.

  
“I’m fine.” The boy smiled in return, ever eager to impress.

  
“It’s not a request, it’s an order boy.” Davos said softly. “You work too hard. Even if you just go for a walk, c’mon.”

  
Gendry smiled and walked out of the auto-shop. He crossed the road to a patch of grass with a tree, and set his back against the tree, stretching his legs out in front of him. He heard a noise so looked up to see a girl kicking a rock down the road. She was younger than him, maybe 15 or 16, she was short with dark hair and was wearing a school uniform. She clearly wasn’t from this neighbourhood.

  
“Hi.” The girl said stopping in front of him.

  
“Um.. hi?” Gendry responded looking up at her. She was pretty he noted. The girl looked at him curiously, but didn’t say anything.

  
“You probably shouldn’t be around here.” Gendry said at last.

  
“Why?” she laughed.

  
“It’s.. it’s a little rough.. and you’re obviously not from round here.”

  
“I can handle myself thank you very much!” The girl retorted.

  
“I don’t doubt that.” Gendry responded on seeing the look of determination on her face.

  
    Gendry stood up, and realised just how short the girl was, she studied him for a moment.

  
“I’m Arya.” she said holding out her hand defiantly.

  
Gendry frowned down at her. She was wearing a private school uniform, she was obviously a rich girl, why would she want to shake hands with him?

  
“You’re meant to shake it.” She added nodding to her hand.

  
“I know that.. I’m just wondering why _you_ would want to shake _my_ hand.” Gendry looked down at his hands; they were rough and covered in grime, he grimaced.

  
“I’m not afraid of oil!” The girl chuckled. “Just shake my hand and tell me your name, because I’m not leaving until you do.”

  
Gendry let out a lung full of air and looked at the girl. He could see she wasn’t going to give in.

  
“Gendry.” He said extending a hand to her.

  
“Nice to meet you.” She smiled. “Bye Gendry.”

  
As she walked off, Gendry asked himself, _was that all I had to do to get her to leave_? But he found himself staring at her as she walked away. What a strange girl he thought heading back to the auto-shop.


	4. ARYA

  
    Arya changed out of her uniform when she arrived home. She loathed having to wear the uniform, especially the skirt. She pulled on a pair of jeans, converse and a hoodie and went to her homework.

  
“Arya!” Her mother scolded walking into her room.

  
“Yes mother?” she said sweetly.

  
“What have you been doing?” She asked holding up Arya’s scuffed school shoes.

  
“Ugh.. I tripped?”

  
“Arya.”

  
“I kicked a stone. Or two.”

  
“Arya, I swear, you are as bad as Rickon!” her mother sighed.

  
Arya shrugged. It had been worth it though, she’d come across that boy, with the ink black hair and beautiful blue eyes.

  
    Arya had been in Kings Landing for several months now, she had no friends and hated almost everything about being there. People at school tried to tease her at first, but they soon learned that they would face her wrath if they did - which incidentally landed her in detention more than once. But her grades were good and she enjoyed most of the lessons.  
      
    “Hi dad.” Arya said cheerily walking into the garage at the back of their home.

  
“Have you done all your homework?” He asked.

  
“Most of it.” She replied looking at her feet.

  
“Come on then.” He replied motioning her over to the classic car he was working on.

  
Arya grinned as she made her way over. She knew her mother wouldn’t be happy when she went back in the house covered in oil and grease, but Arya loved the time she got to spend with her dad in the garage. Once Arya and her dad started working in the garage it was easy to lose track of time.

  
“It’s been a while since we did this, huh?” her dad said wrapping an arm around his daughters shoulders.

  
“I’ve missed it.” Arya said with a smile she rarely used. Most of her smiles were just on her lips, but this was a smile that reached her eyes, and radiated through her body. She felt genuine happiness.

  
    “Mumma says it’s time for dinner.” Rickon said running into the garage.

  
Rickon was 8 years old now, but as the youngest child the whole family indulged him and still treated him like a baby, a role he was happy to go along with most of the time. Arya took one hand, and her dad took the second hand.

  
“We’d best not keep them waiting then.” Her father declared as they made their way towards the house.  
      
    “Arya, you look like you’ve been up a chimney.” Sansa sneered as they made their way into the dining room.

  
“I’ve a mind to send the two of you to change!” her mother added.

  
“Should we?” her dad asked.

  
“No, no, your food will go cold! Just go wash your hands!”

  
Her eyes snapped to Arya when they returned, “Maybe not working on the car right before dinner in future.”

  
“Can’t promise that Cat.” Dad smiled sweetly.

  
Arya sat in her seat knowing it was aimed at her entirely, her father was allowed to work on the car whenever he wanted, Arya however was always discouraged from doing so.

  
    “So I’m getting the information for Lyanna’s boy tomorrow.” her dad’s voice cut through the daydream Arya had melted off into. Her head snapped up at this.

  
“I don’t get it, why are we only getting it now?” Arya asked.

  
“It’s the system sweetheart.” Her dad replied.

  
“But he could have lived with us, he could have grown up with us!” Robb said.

  
“The system is stupid.” Arya muttered.

  
“It sure is.” father chuckled.

  
“Eddard!” her mother snapped.  
  
      
    The next evening Robb came to Arya fussing about his car.

  
“Arya, you need to take a look at it.” he sounded exacerbated.

  
Arya followed her brother out to the car and began to examine the car intently.

  
“Nah, Robb there’s no way I can fix this. Sorry bro, if dad were here, simple.. But he won’t be back until Tuesday! I know an auto-shop we can take it to!” Arya told her brother looking over the car engine.

  
“Think it’ll make it there? Or do I need a tow?” Robb asked concerned.

  
“It’s not far, I don’t think the car is bad enough for a tow, maybe just go slow?”

  
"Come on then.” Robb said climbing into the car, Arya climbed in the other side with a sly smile on her face.


	5. GENDRY

   “Oh, hello, I have some issues with my car, could you take a look?” A boy about a year or two older than Gendry asked walking into the auto-shop. It was a Friday evening and things were starting to go slow.

  
“Yeah, sure. Pop the hood.” Gendry said walking over to the car.

  
The boy opened the hood of the car up, Gendry glanced at him, his auburn hair combed and his jumper flawless, not the kind of guy that would want to be hanging around an auto-shop, especially in this neighbourhood.

  
“Hey, Robb, why don’t you go to the cafe across the road? You won’t understand this, I’ll let Gen- the guy know what’s wrong.” A girl said coming around the side of the car.  
Oh Gods.

  
“Yeah, good idea. Come get me when it’s done.” Robb smiled at the girl.

  
    “Hello Gendry.” Arya smiled once the boy left.

  
“What are you doing here?” Gendry asked.

  
“Didn’t my brother just say? Car’s broke.”

  
Gendry studied her for a moment and raised an eyebrow before turning back to the car.

  
“So, your brother knows nothing about cars?” Gendry asked after a few minutes.

  
“He knows how to drive one.” Arya said flatly.

  
Gendry rubbed his chin whilst studying the car, then averted his gaze to Arya.

  
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Arya asked.

  
“You know what’s wrong with it.” he stated nodding at the car.

  
Arya shrugged.

  
“What do you know about cars?” Gendry asked.

  
“Quite a lot actually.”

  
“As I thought. Which is why you knew which wires to disconnect and what to play with, right?”

  
“What are you insinuating?” Arya gasped mockingly.

  
“Why are you here?”

  
“I like cars.”

  
“Do you want a job or something?”

  
“Maybe.”

  
Gendry narrowed his eyes at the girl.

  
“Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?”

  
“Frequently.” Arya grinned staring at him.

  
Their eyes locked, the two of them staring each other down.

  
    “Wow. You’ve met your match!” Jon’s voice came from behind Gendry.

  
Neither of them flinched, their eyes just bored into each others.

  
“This is really intense.” Jon added.

  
Gendry could feel him starting to circle the two of them, yet neither of them broke eye contact.

  
“Jon? What are you doing here? Gendry!” Davos strode out of his office.

  
Gendry’s eyes flew straight to Davos, he caught Arya punching the air slightly out of the corner of his eye.

  
“What are you doing? Oh, hello, is this your car?” Davos asked noticing Arya.

  
“It’s my brothers,” Arya smiled sweetly. “He’s just across at the cafe.”

  
Davos nodded and smiled at her, he glanced at the two men briefly.

  
“I’m Arya Stark.” She said stepping forward with her hand outstretched.

  
“Davos Seaworth. Owner of this here establishment.” Davos shook her hand. “Stark? No relation to Eddard is it?”

  
“My father, Sir.” Arya replied.

  
She’d gone from teasing and being annoying to being a sweet little girl in two seconds flat. Gendry just blinked in shock, and noted Jon’s face falter slightly beside him.

  
“Served with your dad back in the army.” Davos said. “Is Gendry seeing to your brothers car?”

  
“Truth be told Sir, I could do it myself. It’s just my brother thought it would be better if a certified mechanic did it.” Arya said looking down at her feet.

  
“Ah! Old Eddard been teaching you girl?” Davos asked.

  
“Yes!” She grinned. “We used to spend hours in our garage back in _The North_ not so much since moving here, he works too much. I love being around cars, it’s frustrating.”

  
“You tell him you saw me, I’ll pop up and see him some time next week? Would be great to have a catch up with him!” Davos declared.

  
“Certainly, Sir, I’m sure he’d love it.”    

  
    “Okay, show me what’s wrong with the car.” Gendry said once Davos was back in his office with Jon following behind him. The girl stepped forward towards the bonnet. She tilted her head slightly.

  
“Hand me a spanner.” She said as she began to move wires around.

  
“You know I’m still going to have to charge you?” Gendry said as she stuck her tongue out reconnecting something deep in the engine.

  
“Yup.” She muttered.

  
Gendry frowned at her back.

  
“Why are you here?” He asked pointedly.

  
“I want to be your friend.” She replied.

  
“Why?” he asked, but she didn’t reply.

  
“Sorted.” She said stepping back rubbing her hands on her jeans.  
   


	6. ARYA

    Gendry was looking at her with a deeply confused look on his face. She was used to that, no one ever understood her behaviour.

  
“Why did you do that?” He asked shaking his head.

  
“I doubt this will be a surprise, but I don’t really have any friends. Or many at least. But I know when I meet someone special.” Arya said.

  
“What’s that mean?” Gendry frowned.

  
“It means we have to be friends.” Arya rolled her eyes at him.

  
“No,” he shook his head, “it don’t work like that Arya!”

  
“Why not?”

  
“Because..”

  
“Really?” she arched an eyebrow at him. “Surely even a trainee mechanic can do better than ‘because’?”

  
“That’s why! You’re teasing.”

  
“Sorry.. that’s what I’m like.. Gods, no wonder I have no friends.” She said turning her back.

  
“Arya-“ he faltered, “Okay, maybe we can be friends..”

  
“Awesome.” she smiled, “I’d best go get my brother so he can pay you.”

  
“Arya.. just don’t break any more cars to make friends.. maybe just try talking to people?”

  
“I didn’t break that car, just.. temporarily incapacitated it!”  
  
    “Your father is home Arya.” Her mother said as she walked through the door after school on Monday. Arya dropped her school bag immediately and ran for her dad’s office. The door was open so she ran right in.

  
“Daddy!” she yelled.

  
“Well I’m glad someone missed me.” He grinned at her. “Have you been keeping out of trouble.”

  
Arya smiled sweetly.

  
“I heard Robb had some car problems?” her father asked.

  
“Yeah..” Arya said hesitantly. Arya knew her father would know that she could have fixed the car, even if it wasn’t something she did to it.

  
“Oh, a Davos Seaworth said to say hello to you.” Arya added quickly before he could ask more about the car.

  
“Davos Seaworth? I haven’t heard that name in years!” her father smiled.

  
“He said he’d try and come by sometime this week. It was his auto-shop we went to. I’d love to help in an auto-shop.” She sighed.

  
Her father smiled down at her.

  
“Did you meet your nephew dad?” Arya asked.

  
“I did. He’s going to come for dinner tomorrow night.” he replied. “I think you’ll like him!”

  
Arya smiled and left the office.  
  
    “Arya, you could have at least made an effort to meet our cousin.” Sansa said as the family gathered in the living room.

  
Arya glanced down at her clothes, she thought she had made an effort. She was wearing navy chinos, slip on shoes, a nice shirt and a cardigan.

  
“C’mon girls, don’t fight tonight.” her father said resting a hand on either girls shoulder.

  
Arya and Sansa locked eyes with each other, but both turned to smile at their father.

  
“Maybe it would be best if we didn’t all bombard him at the door?” her mother asked as they waited.

  
“You’re right.” father answered as the doorbell rang.

  
Arya had immediately shot to her feet.

  
“Well guess my little guard is coming to answer the door with me then.” her father said holding his arm out to her, and the two of them made their way to the door.

  
Her father opened the door and stood there was a boy Arya had seen before. He was short, but taller than her. He had the same dark hair as Arya and her father, but his eyes were much darker they were almost black compared to their slate grey eyes. Arya smiled at the boy, and it wasn’t a show smile like she’d been planning it was real. The boy smiled back at her.

  
“Good evening.” The boy said almost shyly.

  
“Jon, come in, come in.” her father said ushering him through the door.

  
“This,” father said laying his hands on Arya’s shoulders, “is my youngest daughter, Arya. Arya, this is your cousin Jon Snow.”

  
“Nice to meet you Arya.” Jon said reaching out to shake her hand and giving her a small wink. Arya knew she already liked him.

  
    “So, Jon, what do you do?” her mother asked as they ate.

  
“Oh, I’m steward to the city commander.” Jon said peering up nervously.

  
“That’s rather impressive.” Robb added with a smile.

  
“Where do you live?” Rickon asked.

  
“I- I ugh just moved out of a group home in Flea Bottom, I’ve lived there my whole life really.”

  
“What’s a group home?” Bran asked.

  
“A load of boys live there, none of us have parents or anything, so some adults look after us. We work or go to school. Then at 18, if there’s any information about us that’s been withheld, we’re given it, and released to the real world.” Jon answered.

  
Sansa looked half disgusted.

  
“That’s just wrong.” Arya said, “If we knew about you, you could have lived with us!”

  
“It’s okay,” Jon smiled at Arya, “It wasn’t so bad. You should hear abut some of the places Gendry has been in!”

  
Arya’s eyes briefly widened as a reflex action of concern, but she immediately hid it with a mask. But not before she saw Jon notice it.

  
“Who’s Gendry?” Rickon asked.

  
“He’s my friend, guess he’s my brother more or less!” Jon smiled.

  
Arya smiled down at her plate.  
  
    “Davos!” her fathers voice boomed as he strode into the auto-shop with Arya in tow.

  
Arya smiled and greeted the older man before moving off to the side slightly.

  
“Not been breaking any more cars have you?” Gendry chuckled sliding out from under a car. Arya startled slightly.

  
“No.” She scowled at him.

  
“Show me around this place then.” Her father said to Davos, who indulged him in a tour of the premises, with Arya following behind.

  
“Wow.” Arya sighed as they sat down after the tour.

  
“It’s not that impressive missy.” Davos teased her.

  
“It is for me.” Arya replied.

  
“Arya is.. spirited. She’s a bright girl, but she’s mischievous and gets herself into trouble if she isn’t kept busy.” Her father added.

  
“Mr Seaworth, you don’t think I could help out here do you?” Arya asked quietly. “I wouldn’t need paying.”

  
“Arya.” her father chided.

  
Davos just weighed the girl up silently.

  
“Gendry.” Davos called. “This is Mr Stark, and I believe you met Arya the other day.”

  
“G’day Sir.” Gendry bowed his head slightly. “Yes, Sir I did.”

  
“Good lad this one.” Davos declared.

  
Arya laughed silently, and Gendry stared at his boots.

  
“Arya is going to stay with us for a couple of hours lad, I want you to see what she can do. See if she could maybe give us a hand on weekends.” Davos declared.

  
“But..” Gendry started, before remembering himself. “Yes, Sir.”

  
Arya grinned.

  
“Davos, are you sure?” her father asked hesitantly.

  
“How much trouble could she be?” Davos replied.


	7. GENDRY

  
    “Really, what game are you playing?” Gendry asked Arya as they walked over to a work station.

  
“I’m not playing a game.” Arya replied flatly.

  
“Are you sure?”

  
“Yes.”

  
“Okay, let’s see what tools you know.” Gendry said before listing tools for Arya to identify.

  
She identified them all correctly, it took her a while to find some of the tools, she even had the audacity to claim they were in the wrong places!

  
“Good.” Gendry declared. “Follow me.”

  
He walked over to an engine mounted on a work station.

  
“Go on.” He said to her.

  
    Arya walked around the engine, studying it intently.

  
“You can touch it.” Gendry added. “It actually helps.”

  
“Yeah, so does the engine being in a car.. Right, hand me that and that.” She said pointing.

  
Arya began to work on the engine, unaware that her father and Davos had joined Gendry to watch her. Eventually she took a step back and cocked her head.

  
“Fire it up.” She said confidently.

  
The engine immediately roared to life.

  
“Nearly as good as you lad!” Davos said clapping Gendry across the back.

  
Arya and her dad laughed, Gendry looked down at his boots once more.

  
“Got yerself an apprentice already.” Davos grinned at the boy.

  
“I’ll pick you up later.” Arya’s father told her before leaving.

  
    “So, why are you doing this really?” Gendry pressed as they began to work.

  
“I told you. I like cars.” Arya said bunching her fists up. “And I’m obviously good at it too!”

  
“You actually are.” Gendry chuckled.

  
“That may be the first nice thing you’ve said to me.” She looked shocked.

  
“Don’t get used to it.”

  
“Awh now Gendry, don’t say something you don’t plan on keeping to. You know what you’re like you stubborn bastard.” Jon said walking into the auto-shop.

  
“Jon, brother, you don’t live here anymore, remember!” Gendry groaned. He knew Jon was right though.

  
“Well, I need to make sure you’re looking after my little cousin, don’t I.” Jon joked.

  
“I can look after myself.” Arya flared. “I could take him.”

  
Both of the boys laughed at that.

  
“What?” She spat.

  
“Your just.. so tiny!” Gendry said.

  
Arya’s face wiped clean of all emotions, then something began to build in her eyes, it was like ice.

  
“Sorry, sorry.” Jon said.

  
She kept frowning at Gendry.

  
“Actually.. I think it’s possible you could take me.” he said quietly.

  
That was creepy he thought as the emotions started to ebb back into her features, and the ice melted from her eyes.  
  
    “So, Jon is your cousin?” Gendry asked after his friend had left.

  
“Yeah! He’s pretty cool.” Arya replied tinkering with an engine.

  
Gendry gave her a small smile, she might be annoying but she seemed to actually give a damn, which was more than could be said for most rich folk.

  
“It’s not fair is it?” Arya asked.

  
“What?” Gendry responded.

  
“Life. It’s all a load of shit.”

  
“What do you know of shit? You’re a rich kid.”

  
“Being rich doesn’t protect you from life!” She snorted.

  
    “You look better when you smile.” She said whilst they were working, they’d been silent for about 40 minutes, and that was how she broke the silence.

  
“What?” He said turning to face her.

  
“When you smile properly like, y’know, when it reaches your eyes.. your whole body relaxes.”

  
He just stared at her.

  
“I just noticed,” she shrugged, “When you were staring into that hood, you almost looked like you were out of your body,  like at peace or something, your eyes crinkle up and you get those little dimples.”

  
“You are so strange.” He said, but in his mind he thought, she was right, we are going to be friends.


	8. ARYA

  
    “Your mother isn’t happy about this, you know?” Her dad said to her in the car on the way home.

  
“She’s never happy with anything I do,” Arya frowned, “so I might as well do something I like.”

  
“Arya,” her father sighed, “you’ve got your mother wrong, she just wants what she thinks is best for you.”

  
“Yeah, but her ‘ _what’s best for me_ ’ is really just what Sansa does. And that’s not me.”

  
“I know sweetheart.”

  
    Indeed her mother was not impressed that her 16 year old daughter was basically undertaking an apprenticeship in an auto-shop on the weekends, but she reluctantly agreed to allow her to do it so long as she kept her grades up and behaved. So Arya went to school, where she had no real friends, she studied hard and mostly kept out of trouble. Then on the weekends she went to the auto-shop. Arya enjoyed learning, but she lived for the weekends. She lived for any time she had with Gendry.  
  
    “Summer holidays start in a few weeks, can I spend more time here?” Arya asked Davos one Saturday afternoon.

  
“So long as your father agrees, I don’t see why not.” he replied.

  
Arya smiled and returned to the car she and Gendry were working on.

  
    “Oh, I brought you some cake.” Arya told him from under a car.

  
“Why?” He said skeptically.

  
“Because I hate you, obviously.” She said sliding her way out from under the car. “C’mon, we’ll take our break now.”

  
Gendry walked out to sit beside the tree across the road, Arya soon joined him with a plastic tub with two slices of cake in. She offered Gendry the tub.

  
“So, Davos said I could come here in the week over the summer.” Arya smiled as he was eating the cake.

  
“Mm this is good!” He murmured around a mouthful of cake. “Hang on.. what?”

  
Arya smiled at him.

  
“Why?” he asked.

  
“Why not.”

  
“Why would you want to spend your time here? When you could be doing anything..”

  
“I get to hang out with you here.” She shrugged.

  
“Have you even tried making friends at your school?” he asked.

  
“It’s not that I haven’t tried.. I just find it hard to trust people. Especially people like that.”

  
“But you trust me?”

  
She nodded her head.

  
“Why?” he frowned.

  
“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “It’s like a feeling, I guess. There’s something about you.”

  
“But why don’t you trust other people?”

  
She didn’t reply, she just stared down at the grass below her knees.

  
“It’s okay.. if you don’t want to tell me.” He added.

  
She peered up at him slowly, his blue eyes were full of worry.

  
“Maybe.. not yet though.” She smiled weakly.

  
“Okay, you know I’m here though.” He said placing a hand lightly on her shoulder.

  
    She thought about telling him why she didn’t trust people, she’d never told anyone. But this boy she’d met only a few months ago, she actually considered spilling her guts to him. She’d meant it when she told him it was a feeling that allowed her to trust him, she didn’t know what that feeling was, but she just knew she could trust Gendry Waters.  
  
    The next morning Arya went to work with more cake in her bag, Gendry had seemed to like it the day before.

  
“Here I brought you cake.” She said shoving the box in his hands as they took their break, she didn’t wait for him as she strode across to the tree. She slumped down with her back to the tree and bit her lip. Gendry followed her, and sat facing her.

  
“Are you okay?” He asked, his blue eyes scanning her face.

  
“I’m going to tell you.” She said quietly.

  
He nodded.

  
“What I’m going to tell you, you can’t ever tell anyone else. Ever. Promise.” She almost begged.

  
“I promise.” He said softly.

  
She sighed thinking of how to start this.

  
    “At school there was this gang. They wanted my brother Robb to join them, he was a popular guy, everyone wanted to be his friend, and he was friendly and approachable, but he wasn’t going to join a gang. But they really wanted him. Their advances on him weren’t working. They tried a different tactic. They threatened to have their younger siblings to rough up Bran and Rickon, they never did though. Then they turned their attentions. I heard one of them talking about going after Sansa - why wouldn’t they?” Arya peered up into his blue eyes, she could see he was hanging on to her words.

  
“Sansa is stunning. She’s tall, she’s got blue Tulley eyes, she’s confident, basically she’s everything I’m not. Everyone who knew about the threats thought they’d backed off when nothing happened to Sansa.. no one thought to ask me though.”

  
“Arya..” his voice faltered deep concern set into his eyes.

  
“Lemme.. just let me finish.” She took a deep breath in. “It was after school, I’d just finished rugby practice, the other girls had left, I was always the last to leave. I was walking out of the changing rooms, they grabbed me, there were four of them against me.” She bit her lip and closed her eyes briefly. “They.. they never actually, y’know. I fought them, I don’t know how I managed it.. I got away. My skirt was torn, and my legs and arms were bruised and cut.. but they didn’t..”

  
She peered up to see him looking down at her. He didn’t look like he pitted her, he just looked like he wanted to kill the boys.

  
    “Did they catch them?” He said quietly.

  
“No one knew.” She answered.

  
“Why? Why didn’t you report it?”

  
“Gangs. Wouldn’t have made a difference. I scared them enough to know they wouldn’t try it again.” She brought her knees up to her chest, and wrapped her arms around them.  
“Do you know the worst part?” She asked raising her head. “I’d known them all since we were five years old.”

  
“If anyone even looks at you the wrong way, tell me, I will deal with them.” He said defiantly.

  
Arya opened her mouth to respond, but he put an arm lightly around her shoulder.

  
“I know you don’t need anyone to protect you, but you can let me back you up, right?” He added.

  
She peered at him, he was serious. She nodded slightly.

  
    “Thank you.” She whispered after a while.

  
“Why?” he replied.

  
“I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

  
“Any time.”

  
“I wanted to tell my Dad, or Robb.. but I didn’t want anyone to think me weak. And they never came near me again. No one _really_ noticed that I started acting differently after it. I got in trouble more, I wore shorts under my school skirts.. no one noticed. I shut myself off, I stopped talking to people, even at home I was quieter.. no one noticed any of it.” Her voice cracked.


	9. GENDRY

    It was a Wednesday afternoon and Gendry was under a car, his legs sticking out as he tightened some bolts.

  
“What are you doing here?” He asked.

  
“How do you know it’s me?” Arya asked.

  
“Who else comes to annoy me with such delicate footsteps?” He knew she’d be frowning at that.

  
He slid out from under the car and stood up to face her. She was wearing shorts, long socks and a jersey.

  
“What are you doing here?” He asked again.

  
“Was on my way home.” She responded nonchalantly.

  
“You take odd routes home, don’t you?”

  
“How would you know?”

  
“Because I know where your school is.”

  
“And?”

  
“And I know where you live.” He admitted.

  
“Oh my Gods, you’re a stalker!” She lightly swatted his chest. She hadn’t meant to, but her hand briefly caressed the muscle of his chest and her stomach flared with heat.

  
“I.. I..” he stuttered.

  
“I’m teasing.” She smiled.

  
“Well don’t.” He narrowed his eyes at her, but they were soft with humour.

  
“You have some oil.. just here.” She said touching his cheek lightly.

  
He paused at her hand briefly on his cheek, then flushed.

  
“Oh.” He wiped at it.

  
“You’re making it worse!” She said reaching up to rub his cheek.

  
Her hand hovered on his cheek for a moment, and he looked into her eyes.

  
    “And what are you doin’ ere’ today missy?” Davos asked coming from the office, causing the two of them to jump back.

  
“Had rugby, thought Gendry might like to come see my game Friday? I can come back after and help out, catch up on any work he misses!” She said excitedly.

  
“You’re not meant to work on a Friday though.” Davos pointed out.

  
“Yeah but my parents’ll be away, and it’ll be my fault that Gendry’s missing some work so I don’t mind.” Gendry noticed that her face was almost pleading, she almost looked guilty that she would be making him miss work. She was good! Davos studied her lightly before saying it was fine. Neither of them had even asked him if he’d even wanted to go.

  
    After Davos went Gendry looked at Arya.

  
“Why do you really want me to come?” he asked.

  
“You might like it.” she shrugged.

  
He stared at her.

  
“You can see I can take care of myself.” she said forcefully.

  
He narrowed his eyes.

  
“Everyone else can see I have a friend and I’m not a freak.” She said quietly.

  
“You’re not a freak Arya.” he said reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, before quickly dropping his hand.

  
“You know how to get to my school, right stalker?” She smiled up at him.

  
“Yes.” He sighed.

  
“Okay, kickoff is Friday at 4pm. I’ll be the one in the number 10 jersey.” She grinned spinning on her heels and left. Gendry paused for a few moments, just staring after her wondering if she could actually get everyone to do anything she wanted.


	10. ARYA

    “You’re not mad that none of us will be at your game are you?” Robb asked her Friday morning as he dropped her off at school. Their parents had gone back to _The North_ for the weekend leaving him in charge.

  
“It’s okay Robb, I know you’ll be busy with Bran and Rickon.” She smiled.

  
And she knew the only way Sansa would ever be at her rugby game would be if their parents dragged her there.

  
“Oh, I’ll probably go out with some of the girls after the game, is that okay?” She asked as she puts her hand on the door handle.

  
“Yeah, just be home by…” Arya could see him trying to think what their parents would have said, but weighing it up against trying to be cool, “Be home by 10pm!”

  
Arya smiled and nodded to him before climbing out of his car and collecting her kit bag from the boot.  
      
    Arya had changed into her kit after school and was doing warmups with some of the team when she spotted Gendry. She smiled up at him and waved in his direction with a broad smile. She heard some of the other girls muttering about him, but she paid no attention and continued to warmup. Before she headed back into the changing rooms she jogged over to Gendry.

  
“Hey,” she smiled, “You came!”

  
“Well yeah,” he smiled rubbing the back of his neck, “You did get me a few hours off work.”

  
She grinned at him and turned to leave before pausing and turning back to him. She threw her arms around his neck, reaching up on her tip toes.

  
“Thank you.” She whispered before turning to run away.


	11. GENDRY

    Gendry stood frozen watching Arya run from him, he could still feel her arms around his neck, even as she went through a door across the field, he could still feel them. He shook his head slightly and took in his surroundings. He’d never been to a rugby game before and had no idea what to expect. He noticed people who had been talking to other girls on the team stood in one area, so he guessed he should head there.

  
    The game started and Gendry couldn’t take his eyes off of Arya, she seemed to be in the thick of everything. He winced with every blow she took, the first time someone had taken her to ground he had to force himself to not run over and pull her back to her feet. He was quickly mesmerised by what she was doing, even if he still didn’t understand it. She deftly ran through bodies with the ball, she threw herself and the ball down at the end of the pitch and even kicked the ball over the tall posts. Gendry had no idea how she did any of it. When he was younger he’d sometimes play football on the streets, but he didn’t know the first thing about rugby, but now he felt like he wanted to know everything about the game.

At least when Arya was playing.  
      
    Arya ran over to him when the game ended.

  
“Hey.” She said.

  
“Oh my Gods!” He cried back.

  
“What?” She giggled.

  
“You were amazing!” He said wide eyed reaching down to wrap his arms around her. He saw she was grinning as he put her feet back on the floor.

  
“Did you even understand what was happening?” She teased.

  
“Not a clue.” He shook his head. “But you looked amazing.”

  
She arched an eyebrow at him.

  
“I mean- I mean you played amazing!” He stuttered.

  
    She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the building she’d gone in earlier.

  
“Wait here, I’ll go grab my stuff.” She said turning around as she released his hand. But he gripped her hand and pulled her back towards him.

  
“Arya- you were amazing.. you are..” he gasped wide eyed.

  
She grinned at him, and his stomach flipped. Something took over his body and he bent down slightly and laid his lips against hers. Softly and slowly at first, then he felt her smile, and felt her free hand wrap around his neck pulling him closer to her, and he deepened the kiss, quickened it as though his life depended on it. Eventually they parted, both of their faces slightly red, and smiles at their lips.

  
“I’ll grab my stuff.” Arya said stepping away with a smile.

  
    “Oh Gods.” Gendry muttered to himself once Arya had gone inside.

  
Someone is going to kill me, someone is going to kill me he kept thinking. He ran his fingers through his hair. A shiver going through his body as he recalled Arya’s hands on the back of his neck. Gods, I’m a deadman he thought.


	12. ARYA

    Arya sat on the bench in the dressing room taking her studs off and switching them for a pair of normal trainers, when she noticed two of her team mates approach.

  
“Good game today Arya.” Lysa sneered at her.

  
Arya rolled her eyes, she was the best player on the team, yet the other girls still hated her, a few of them merely tolerated her at best.

  
“Hm, who was the boy you were talking to?” Bethany giggled.

  
Arya just ignored them.

  
“We thought he must be your brother.” Lysa said.

  
“But then he looks far better than you.” Bethany added.

  
Arya stood and raised an eyebrow at the girls. She didn’t answer, she just grabbed her bag and headed out of the changing room. As she got outside she could feel the girls staring at her.

  
“Hey, want me to take that?” Gendry asked motioning to her kit bag.

  
Normally Arya would have said no and shouldered it herself, but she handed it over putting a hand lightly on his shoulder and reached up to kiss him again. He looked shocked once more, but she grasped his hand and began to walk away, she reached back with her other hand and flipped her gawking team mates off.

  
    Once they were out of sight, Arya dropped Gendry’s hand.

  
“Sorry.” She muttered.

  
“For..?” He asked confused.

  
“Kissing you.” She looked down at her trainers as they walked.

  
“I kissed you first though.”

  
“Yeah, you did.” She said stopping.

  
He’d taken two steps past her before stopping and turning around. He looked at her, his eyes skimming her face and briefly down to her feet and back up.

  
“Should I be sorry that I kissed you?” He asked stepping towards her.

  
She shook her head.

  
“Good,” he said dropping her bag to the floor and resting a hand on her cheek.

  
She dropped her backpack next to the kit bag.

  
“Because I’m not sorry.” he said intently leaning down to kiss her once more.

  
She grasped his t-shirt in her hands pulling him closer.

  
    “This is wrong.” He sighed parting from her.

  
“How? Why?” She replied defiantly.

  
“Because you’re _you_! You’re father is one of the most powerful men in the country. And I’m just a mechanics apprentice.. I’ve got no family, I have nothing.” he said full of emotion.  
Arya reached up to pull his face to hers, she stared intently into his eyes.

  
“You have me.” She said softly, “I can be your family.”

  
He smiled at her, but it was a sad smile, as though he didn’t believe what she said to be actually possible. But Arya kissed him anyways. She kissed him hard and fast, like he was about to be ripped from her grasp.


	13. GENDRY

    Gendry and Arya had begun spending evenings together a few times a week now that school was out for the summer. Arya had told him that her mother and sister were not pleased by it, by they were also annoyed by the fact that her father was allowing her to work in an auto-shop. Arya had been helping Gendry with his reading and writing after she realised one day he couldn’t read or write well. Sometimes they would sit in a park reading in the shade of a tree, other days she’d sit them at a bench, and she would write sentences on a piece of paper for him. She’d make him read the notes aloud and then copy them out ten times as she watched. She would write out things like “Arya Stark is the bravest person on the earth” or “Gendry Waters is a stupid bull”. Every time he got it right she’d reward him with a kiss. This system seemed to work effectively, Davos had tried to help him with reading and writing once before, and as kind as he was about it, Arya had an advantage.

  
    “This might be the best summer ever.” Arya declared one evening.

  
“You’ve been off school for like 2 weeks, and all you’ve done is work and help me to read and write.” Gendry pointed out.

  
“I’ve done other stuff.” She raised a perfect eyebrow at him.

  
“Like..?”

  
“Like this..” She said kissing him. “Also, I got 5 consecutive bulls eyes whilst doing archery with my brother the other day.”

  
Gendry nodded at her.

  
“Although.. the only bulls eyes I need are right here.” She said staring into his eyes.

  
“Gods you are weird.”

  
“Didn’t we establish that a long time ago?” She said laughing and placing a light kiss on the tip of his nose.

  
    “Gendry, you have to go.” Marya chided.

  
“Marya, I know how important these parties are, but she’ll be there.” Gendry sighed.

  
“Well you’ll just have to play the man won’t you. Man up, you’re going and that is that.”

  
Gendry knew there was no point arguing, so hung his head in defeat.

  
“Your clothes are on your bed, I need to cut your hair first though, look how ragged it’s got!” Marya declared.

  
Gendry sighed and sat on the chair Marya had motioned to.


	14. ARYA

    “I don’t get these parties.” Arya said flatly to her parents.

  
“They’re to help people less fortunate Arya.” Her dad replied.

  
“Okay. Let me rephrase it, I don’t get why I have to go to these parties.” She responded.

  
“Arya!” her mother reprimanded, “You go because we, your parents, tell you to go. These parties allow you to meet the right kind of people. Look at you, you’re always filthy, running around in trousers, and your hands, look at your hands!”

  
Arya looked down at her hands, she smiled, the callouses reminding her of Gendry.

  
“Eddard! She needs to be socialising with other girls.” Her mother turned to her father.

  
“I’m on the girls rugby team!” Arya exclaimed.

  
“Arya,” her mother sighed exasperated.

  
“So what you actually mean is I need to dress up like Sansa, flirt with some boys and pretend like my head is full of air?” Arya asked.

  
“It would be nice if you wore the dress Sansa and I picked out for you.” Her mother responded, “And it wouldn’t kill you to flirt with a nice boy would it?”

  
Her father turned to her mother wide eyed.

  
“So I’m meant to just pick a boy tonight and flirt with him? Is that right mother?” Arya teased.

  
“Well, I guess.” She replied.

  
_I wonder_ Arya thought with a glint in her eye.

  
    Arya went up to her bedroom, she picked up the dress her mother and sister had bought her. She shook her head. But she had decided to take a chance and play the game that had been dealt before her. She showered, washed her hair and put on the dress her mother and sister had laid out. But they hadn’t selected any shoes to go with it. Arya slid on a pair of shorts under her dress, then did her hair. She left the majority of it down, but did twin plaits along either side of her head that met at the back. She even put on some light makeup before sliding her feet into her scuffed Dr Martins which were hidden beneath the dress.

  
    Arya could hear the party in full swing when she left her room. She crept her way down the stairs without any of her family seeing her. She found a spot from where she could survey the room. She saw her mother and father talking to some guests and Robb and Sansa chatting to some people their age, Arya continued to scan the room until she found Davos Seaworth. She smiled, knowing her game would pay off.

  
    “Sansa, have you seen your sister?” Arya heard her mother ask.

  
“No, she’s probably sulking in her room.” Sansa pouted.

  
“She’s not in her room, or sulking.” Robb laughed sweetly, pointing towards Arya.


	15. GENDRY

    Gendry had arrived at the party at the Stark Mansion with Davos, Marya and 3 other boys. His ink black hair was cropped close to his head, and his stubble trimmed back. He’d cleaned himself thoroughly earlier that day, and his blue eyes seemed to be even more prominent within the clean skin. Gendry had been at the party for 20 minutes and he was already feeling deeply uncomfortable. He’d been left alone, and was scanning the crowds looking for Arya, she was bound to be here. He was half scared to find her, scared of how she’d act around him with all the other rich people around.

  
    “Arya!” He heard a woman gasp.

  
He scanned the crowds and his eyes found her. She was staring back at him. Her lips parted ever so slightly. Her gown was floor length and the colour was the same grey as her eyes, it showed off her figure perfectly. Her hair was neat and she had make-up on. Gendry couldn’t help but stare and blush. Her perfect eyes never left his face the whole time he stared at her even as two women and a man stood around her.

  
“Arya, you look beautiful.” he heard the gasping woman say.

  
Gendry’s eyes were still on her, she peered at the woman then down to the ground.

  
Gendry moved closer towards the group.

  
“I feel stupid.” he heard Arya say.

  
“Go find people to talk to, all of you.” The woman said eventually, turning away from Arya, her brother and the other woman he assumed would be Sansa.

  
Gendry watched Arya’s sister eye her suspiciously.

  
“Guess we’d better go mingle..” Arya said motioning to the crowds.

  
    Gendry turned away briefly, only to feel a light tap on his shoulder mere moments later.

  
“Fancy meeting you here.” She said grinning up at him.

  
“Arya..” he blushed. “You.. wow.” he said letting his eyes skim over her body.

  
“Wow yourself.” She said reaching up to touch his cheek.

  
“Are you sure?” Gendry asked.

  
“What do you mean?” She said peering up into his eyes.

  
“It’s one thing to want me when you’re covered in grease in ripped trousers.. but here, with all these.. rich people, in a dress like that.. looking.. looking.. like that.” he motioned towards her with his hand and sighed, “Why would you want me?”

  
“I want you.” She almost growled back at him.

  
“You could have anyone though?”

  
“I don’t want anyone.”

  
    Arya reached out and took his hand, she pulled him through the crowds, through a second room out into a garden. There was a bench, she pulled him over to sit there. Arya reached out and took his face in her hands.

  
“I don’t want anyone else. I want you.” She said and kissed him lightly.

  
“I want you too.” He whispered back looking down at the floor.

  
“You don’t think you’re good enough for me, do you?” She accused lightly.

  
“I’m not.” He smiled sadly.

  
She hit him lightly.

  
“You are. You are more than good enough for me. You are the only person who knows me. You are the _only_ person who knows I was attacked, you are the only person who knows that I fought them off, you are the only person who knows I always wear shorts under my skirts. You are _the_ only person who knows me. You are the _only_ person I want to know me.” She grasped his hands tightly.

  
He studied her face intently, he licked his lips about to argue.

  
“Also, my mother said I was to flirt with some boy at this party. She never set specifications.” Arya said cocking her head. “Just like she specified that I wear this dress, but said nothing about my shoes.” she said lifting her skirts slightly to reveal a pair of Dr Martin boots.

  
“You are unbelievable.” Gendry laughed.

  
“I know.” she whispered back leaning in to kiss him.

  
    “What are we meant to do?” Gendry asked after a while of sitting on the bench.

  
“About us? Or at the party?” Arya replied.

  
“Well both,” he frowned, “but I meant the party.”

  
“Who knows, usually I misbehave until my mother banishes me to my room.” she looked at him mischievously.

  
“Even if your mother told you to go flirt with someone, I don’t think she’s going to banish us both to your room, so nice try.” Gendry pointed out.

  
“Ugh.” Arya sighed turning to kiss him.

  
“What about us?” Gendry asked pulling away from the kiss. Arya rested her forehead up against his.

  
“I want you.” Arya replied.

  
“You know I have nothing to offer you.” Gendry replied.

  
“That’s not right.” She whispered kissing him softly. “I don’t want featherbeds and crowns, I just want someone who treats me like me, someone who loves me for who I am.”

  
“I can do that.” He replied kissing her deeply.

  
    They’d probably sat on the bench chatting with their bodies pressed against one another for about an hour. No one had come looking for Arya in that time, so she allowed herself to relax and enjoy the attention of Gendry.

  
“I’m enjoying myself far more than I thought I would.” Gendry sighed eventually taking Arya’s hand in hers.

  
“Yeah, it’s far more enjoyable when my mother isn’t following me around trying to force me to behave.” Arya replied. “Gods I shouldn’t have mentioned her, she’s coming, quick!”

Arya rose to her feet pulling Gendry up after her before he mother could see them. She pulled him out of sight so that the two of them were down the side of the house. Arya pushed Gendry against the wall and reached up on her tiptoes to kiss him. She felt his arms drift down from her face, down her shoulders and arms, to lightly wrap around her waist. She pressed herself against him harder, until  he gasped.

  
“Arya-“ he groaned.

  
“Mm.” She murmured kissing him.

  
“Ugh.. we should stop.” he groaned, but Arya looked up at him and could see that he didn’t really want to. She nodded ever so slightly in agreement, she smoothed her hair flat and began to head back into the house with Gendry following her.

  
“Go grab some food, see Davos or something? I should go make an appearance with my mother or something.” Arya said reaching out the squeeze Gendry’s hand lightly.

  
He replied with a nod.

  
“I’ll come find you in 15 to 20 minutes, yeah.” She said.

  
“Alright.” He lightly brushed his lips against her forehead.

    Gendry was at the buffet table, he couldn’t believe the amount of food laid out over the tables before him, half of which he’s never even tried before.

  
“You behavin’ lad?” Davos asked gruffly coming up behind him.

  
Gendry turned to the older man, wide eyed.

  
“Of course, of course.” He replied eagerly.

  
“I take it you’ve been with the little lass?” Davos asked fondly.

  
“Ugh, yeah.” Gendry stuttered in response, “She’s.. she’s gone to see her.. her mother.”

  
“Okay lad. Just make sure you are behaving yourself.” he said kindly before leaving him beside the buffet table.

  
    “Gendry isn’t it?” Arya’s brother Robb walked up to him.

  
“Oh, hi, Robb.” Gendry said reaching out to shake his hand. Robb took his hand and smiled at him.

  
“Are you.. enjoying the party?” Robb asked.

  
“It’s.. it’s not what I’m really in to, but I’m having a better time than I’d thought I could.”

  
“Have you seen Arya?” Robb grinned, “I don’t know how mother convinced her to even wear that dress!”

  
“It’s the same colour as her eyes.” Gendry replied almost wistfully.

  
“I hadn’t noticed,” Robb laughed. “I suppose that was Sansa’s doing. Anyways, I’d best get going. See you around.”  
  
  



	16. ARYA

    “You seem to be behaving.” Her mother said coming up to her.

  
“I always behave.” She retorted.

  
Her mother raised an amused eyebrow in response.

  
“Mostly.” Arya shrugged.

  
“Did I say, you look beautiful in that dress, darling.” her mother laid a hand on her shoulder.

  
“Thank you.” Arya muttered looking down at the ground.

  
“What about the boy to flirt with, did you find one?” Catelyn teased.

  
Arya just gave her mother a wry smile in response.   
  
    “My mother has been accusing me of not flirting with any boys tonight.” Arya said with a huff approaching Gendry.

  
“Well your mother clearly hasn’t spent much time with you tonight.” Gendry teased.

  
Arya rolled her eyes at him. Gendry grinned at that. Arya noted him glancing at the people beginning to dance around the room.

  
“Did you - did you want to dance then?” Gendry asked.

  
Arya gawped at him.

  
“Might convince your mother you’ve been flirting with a boy.” he said jokingly.

  
“Right,” she responded offering him her hand. “Let’s dance.”  
  
    Arya let Gendry lead her onto the dance floor. She wasn’t sure why she had even agreed to dance. She hated dancing, she knew how, she’s been forced to learn as a kid, but truely that meant nothing. Arya felt that she would possibly agree to anything Gendry asked of her. And so she found herself in a gown being led onto the dance floor at one of her parents parties by the most gorgeous and kind man she had ever met. The whole room melted away as Gendry lay his hands on her waist. Gendry looked down at her, and she peered up at him. And in that moment it was all that mattered.

  
    “I don’t know what I’m doing.” Gendry muttered to her after they’d been swaying for a few minutes.

  
“It’s okay, you’re doing fine.” She reassured him, “Just move with the rhythm.”

  
He nodded lightly. Arya looked up at him, and he was staring down at her, she’d never seen someone look at another human with such intensity before.

  
“Arya,” he almost sighed, “Can I kiss you?”

  
“You’ve never asked before.” She stated.

  
“Yeah, well I’ve never kissed you in front of a room full of your family and their friends before.”

  
“Don’t ask, just do.” She grinned up at him.

  
He continued top sway with the music, but bent down towards Arya, lightly brushing his lips against hers.

  
“That all you got?” she taunted.

  
The biggest grin imaginable spread across Gendry’s face, his blue eyes sparkled mischievously and crinkles formed at the corner of his eyes. He rested his forehead against hers for a moment, then lent in to kiss her again, this time he deepened the kiss until he felt her smiling against his lips.

  
    Arya allowed herself to be held, she allowed herself to be happy and at peace, everything else around her melted away, all her cares had left her. All that mattered was Gendry’s hands on her skin. She smiled more than she had ever smiled before. 


	17. GENDRY

    “What?” Arya said leaning against a work station the Tuesday after the party.

  
“Why are you here? It’s not the weekend.” Gendry said taking her in with his eyes.

  
She bit her bottom lip lightly looking at him. He was acting annoyed, but he was thrilled to see her, after the party he was not looking forward to going all week without seeing her.

She looked to the ground, then quickly turned on her heels.

  
“Arya?” He called after her as she walked towards Davos’ office.

  
    Gendry followed her quietly, and stood to the side of the door when she went inside, she’d left the door ajar. She probably knows I’m listening, Gendry thought.

  
“Hi, Mr Seaworth.” He heard Arya say sweetly.

  
“Arya, I’ve told you, it’s Davos!”

  
“I know, I know.”

  
“What can I do for you?”

  
“I hope you enjoyed my parents party the other day.”

  
“Oh, I did, those kind of events are important to people like me. We get a lot of funding to help with the lads that way.”

  
“I didn’t know that! Maybe I can ask father to give you some extra funding.”

  
“Oh, no need for that girl!”

  
“I was just wondering, would it be okay if I started coming in during the week whilst I’m off school? You still don’t need to pay me, I enjoy it.”

  
“Of course girl, so long as it’s fine with your father.”

  
“I’ll check.”

  
Gendry heard Arya turning to leave.

  
“Arya,” Davos said slowly, “Gendry has Monday’s off, if you’re here helping him more he can have the Monday and Tuesday off. He’s a good lad, works hard. Maybe the two of you could do with some fun.”

  
    Gendry quickly walked away from the door before either of them came out, he busied himself in his work.

  
“You were listening.” Arya stated creeping up behind him.

  
“Gods! Make some noise when you walk woman!” Gendry jumped.

  
Arya narrowed her eyes at him.

  
“Yeah- yeah okay I was.” He blushed.

  
“Good.” She smiled at him.

  
“Did you go in there to play him?”

  
“Why does everyone think I’m always playing a game?” Arya scowled putting her hands on her hips.

  
“You’re adorable when you scowl.” he teased.

  
“Shut up.” she swatted his chest.

  
He laughed and attempted to wrap his arms around her, but she ducked away from him. He cocked an eyebrow at her - imitating her usual reaction.

  
“I have to go to my school, pick up the rest of my things from my locker.” She said looking at her feet, “Probably best I don’t rock up covered in grease.”

  
“Doesn’t usually bother you.” He winked at her.

  
Gendry could see the mischief glinting in her eyes as she poked her tongue out at him.


	18. GENDRY

    Gendry had been waiting in the hall with Arya’s books and bag when he heard footsteps. He turned to face whomever was approaching and found two boys sneering at him. He paid them no mind until he felt one of them grab his arm.

  
“What?” Gendry said turning to them.

  
“You with the Stark bitch?” The one boy asked.

  
“Who are you?” Gendry replied.

  
The two boys looked at each other and chuckled.

  
The second boy swung a punch at Gendry, it made contact with his nose, his head swung back and he dropped Arya’s things. This could not be good. Gendry was bigger than both boys, but they were two vs one, he was at a disadvantage. But he put his hands up to block any on coming swings. The boys both swung punches at him, he didn’t want to hit back at them, knowing they were rich boys and he would certainly be the one in trouble.

  
“They’re bound to be finished by now, they’re three vs her scrawny little cunt.” the second boy said suddenly.

  
Gendry grabbed the boy by the shoulder and threw him across the hall.

  
“Fuck off, both of you before I stop defending and start attacking.” He screamed at the two of them. They both looked at each other, up to Gendry and began to scramble off.

  
    Immediately Gendry ran into the locker room Arya had entered only moments earlier. Although it now felt like it was hours ago. Gendry could feel his nose bleeding as he entered the room, he noticed two boys on the floor and a third still standing.

  
“THE FUCK DO YOU ALL WANT WITH ME?” Arya bellowed.

  
The boy on his feet began to move away from Arya, Gendry could see her clothes ripped. He wanted to scream, he wanted to kill these boys with his bare hands, but he somehow controlled himself.

  
“No.” He growled at the boy who was trying to leave.

  
“Run and get help.” he said calmly to Arya.

  
She ran past him as he surveyed the room. The three boys were looking at each other and towards Gendry who was blocking the door. Two of them were bleeding but the third looked unscathed.

  
“You’re going to pay for this. All of you.” Gendry spat at them.

  
    Arya and a man in his 60s entered the room at that moment. The man had short white hair and a serious expression. He was tall but shorter than Gendry, he looked like a fair and honest man.

  
“Brynden, Jamie, Garth.” The man said calmly.

  
The three boys rose to their feet and almost looked scared.

  
“This appears to be the ladies locker room I have found the three of you in. Sit and explain.” The older man said.

  
“Sir, he attacked us.” One of the boys answered pointing at Gendry.

  
Gendry frowned and positioned himself so that Arya was behind him.

  
“You’ve got cameras out there Sir?” Gendry asked motioning to the hall.

  
“Yes.” The man replied. “Who are you?”

  
“Gendry Waters, Sir.” He extended his hand, the man shook it. “I was helping Arya with her stuff.”

  
“Yes, Arya. Are you okay?” The man asked.

  
“Yes Mr Selmy.” She said from around Gendry.

  
“You don’t look alright, dear.” He said turning back to the boys. “I will get to the bottom of this.”

  
“Now, Gendry, take Arya down to my office please.” Mr Selmy said kindly.

  
    “Come on, love.” Gendry said wrapping his arm around Arya’s shoulder.

  
“I’m sorry.” She said as she began to cry.

  
Gendry stopped and bent down so his eyes were level with hers.

  
“Why are you saying that? You did nothing wrong. We just came to get your stuff.” He said.

  
“You got dragged into this because of me.” she sobbed.

  
“There were two of them waiting for me, if I weren’t here, it would be you verses five. Even you might not have beat that.” He rubbed her back soothingly.

  
Ayra led him to the office once they had both managed to compose themselves.   
      
    “Why did you only defend yourself?” A young woman said looking up from a computer as Arya and Gendry walked in to the office.

  
“What?” Gendry replied confused.

  
“Two of them attacked you, see?” She said turning the computer monitor to face Gendry and Arya. “They bloodied your nose, and still, look, you put your hands up to block them both, rather than to attack them. Until.. here.” She tapped the monitor at the point Gendry threw the boy across the hall.

  
“I didn’t know what was happening. Who would the cops believe? A mechanics apprentice or two rich boys?” Gendry said defiantly.

  
“What changed at that point?” The woman asked.

  
“I heard Arya’s voice from the changing room and knew she was in danger.”

  
The woman regarded him briefly before nodding and turning to Arya.

  
“Sit sweetie,” she motioned to a chair. “They didn’t hurt you did they?” she asked kindly.

  
Arya shook her head, Gendry noticed how ripped up her shirt was. He was wearing a shirt over his t-shirt, so took the shirt off and put it on Arya, slowly buttoning the buttons up as she stared blankly at the floor.

  
    “How could it happen again?” She whispered up at him.

  
“Again?” The woman asked. “This has happened before?”

  
Arya looked at Gendry, she looked petrified. But gave him a small nod.

  
“Back in the North, some other boys tried it.” He said softly.

  
The woman shuddered.

  
“Sorry, we haven’t been introduced properly. I’m Margery Tyrell.” She said with a smile, “I’m a former pupil here, I’ve just got my teaching degree, I’ll be teaching here from next year.”

  
“This is Arya Stark.” Gendry said putting his hands lightly on Arya’s shoulders.

  
“And you?”

  
“I don’t matter do I.” Gendry said grimly.

  
Margery smiled at him sweetly.

  
“I’d like to know irregardless.” She said.

  
“Gendry Waters, I’m Arya’s boyfriend.”  
  
    Gendry wasn’t sure how long they waited there, but Arya took his hand and gripped it tightly. She hadn’t spoken since she asked him how it could happen again, she just sat silently in the chair staring at Gendry or the floor.

  
    “Arya!” her father came bundling into the room, her mother following him. Ned Stark knelt on the floor in front of his daughter, Gendry tried to let go of her hand, but she just gripped it tighter.

  
“What happened?” Her mother moved over and laid a hand on her daughters hair. Gendry noticed her eyes skim other their intertwined hands.

  
Arya didn’t answer, she just looked up at Gendry.

  
“Sir?” He said to her father, and motioned to the hall.

  
The man nodded at him and kissed Arya’s forehead before leaving. Gendry paused and took his place in front of Arya.

  
“Can I tell them everything?” He asked looking into her grey eyes. She looked so small and scared. She nodded.

  
“You need to let go of my hand, love.” He smiled softly at her.

  
She pouted slightly and briefly rested her forehead against his before letting him go.  
  
    Gendry stood up and walked out of the office followed by both of Arya’s parents.

  
“Tell me what is going on! Who are you?” Her mother almost yelled.

  
“Cat.” Ned soothed his wife, "Don’t frighten the poor boy."

  
“Gendry, what happened?” Ned asked softly; Gendry noticed Catelyn’s surprise that her husband knew the boy.

  
Gendry sighed to collect himself. He told them the story Arya had told him about what had happened at her old school and why. Then about what had happened that day.  
Gendry could feel the anger rolling off of Arya’s father, he kept peering back towards the office, Gendry knew how he felt.

  
“That doesn’t explain who you are though.” Catelyn said regarding him wearily. “Or how you know him.” She turned to her husband.

  
“I’m Gendry Waters, Ma’am.” He said politely, he looked down at his shoes. “I.. I ugh work with Arya at the auto-shop.”

  
“He’s my boyfriend.” Arya’s voice came softly from behind her mother.

  
The three of them all turned to face Arya.

  
“And I’m her boyfriend.” Gendry murmured.

  
“Why didn’t you say something sooner?” Her mother scolded her, but her voice was soft and her face looked full of fear.

  
Arya shook her head and her lip quivered.

  
Gendry couldn’t help but notice how helpless she looked in her ripped clothing, with his much too big shirt over her.


	19. ARYA

    “Davos says you can finish at 3, and come with me to get my stuff.” Arya said after she returned to the office for a second time.

  
“Why?” Gendry narrowed his eyes at her.

  
“Might have made out like I need a hand carrying my stuff.”

  
Gendry groaned in response.

  
“What?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  
“You’re the cutest little ball of contradictions.”

  
“Eh?”

  
“You don’t want to be treated like some little princess; but then you make out to Davos that you need a hand carrying your stuff. You squirmed away from me not wanting to get greasy; normally you’re bathing in the oil! You’re just..” he trailed off, a crease forming between his eyes.

  
Something twinkled in her eyes, and Arya reached out to smooth the crease away, then trailed her finger down his nose, and let it rest on his lips.

  
“Maybe I am playing the game.” she said breathy.

  
Gendry parted his lips lightly, her finger remained in place, so he nibbled it gently. The two of them stood staring at one another until they both jumped apart when they heard a banging from one of the other mechanics.

  
    “I’m gonna.. go read..” Arya started to back away slowly, “out there, until 3, okay?”

  
Gendry nodded in response, a look crossed his face briefly and he quickly turned around. Arya continued to back away, but noted him bending his body over towards an empty work bench. She grinned and turned to leave.

  
    Arya went to their tree to read whilst she waited for Gendry, she peered up when she heard footsteps, knowing it wasn’t Gendry.

  
“Oh, hi Jon?” Arya said.

  
“Arya, what are you doing here?” Jon smiled down at her.

  
“Just reading.” she said noticing Jon frown slightly. “Sit cousin.”

  
Jon sat beside her, neither of them talked for a few moments.

  
“What are you doing here?” Arya asked eventually breaking the silence.

  
“I ugh..” he motioned towards the auto-shop and group home.

  
“Thought you didn’t live here any more?” She said turning her head towards him.

  
“Yeah. I just, y’know I like to visit.”

  
“Not working this week?”

  
“Got a couple of day off.”

  
“So you choose to hang out here?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

  
“You’re one to talk.”

  
“I’m waiting for Gendry to finish work.” she responded defensively.

  
Jon laughed.

  
“What?” Arya asked.

  
“He’s a good bloke.” Jon smiled.

  
“I know.” Arya sighed slightly. “What’s that meant to mean anyways?”

  
“You and him..”

  
Arya looked dumbfounded and bit lightly on her lower lip.

  
“We’re..” Arya struggled to define what was happening. Arya was clueless when it came to boys and stuff like that, but even she knew her and Gendry were more than just friends.

  
Jon gripped her hand lightly.

  
“It’s okay.” he said.

  
“Thanks.” she murmured.

  
“I’d better go see Marya, she’ll kill me if she knew I’d been here this long without seeing her.” Jon said standing up.

  
“Hey, Jon,” Arya said, “You know you can come up to the house any time, right? Can hang out with me or whatever?”

  
“Mm,” Jon laughed, “Best I check you’re not here first though, right?”

  
“Maybe.” She grinned up at him before returning to her book.  
  
    At 2:55pm Arya stood putting her book into her bag and headed back to the auto-shop. She lent up against a steal pillar watching Gendry work. She watched his muscles ripple as he picked up car parts and found herself almost breathless. She had no idea why, particularly since she’d already ran her hands all over the muscles in his arms and chest. But watching them flex through work sent a shock of something through her body. She peered down at her watch as it ticked to 3pm.

  
“Hey.” She said cooly still against the pillar.

  
“How long have you been stood there?” He said turning to face her slowly. He was sweaty and covered in grease, but Arya sighed at the sight of him.

  
“You need to clean up.” She said.

  
“Too low looking for you am I milady?” he teased taking a step towards her.

  
Arya swallowed a deep breath of air and stood up straight, she glanced down to his chest where his sweat strained t-shirt clung to his muscles. She took a step towards him, grasping his shirt in her hands, pulling his face down towards hers.

  
“You need to clean up, or I will rip those clothes off of you.” she responded in a low voice.

  
Gendry’s eyes skimmed down her body then back to her face. His blue eyes locked on her determined grey ones.

  
Arya thought he looked like he was considering the options put in front of him.

  
“Ugh.. yeah.. I’ll..” he murmured pointing towards the house.

  
    Gendry turned around and began to move away, he suddenly paused as though he’d forgot something. He made his way back to Arya, bent to kiss her lightly once before grasping her hand and pulling her after him.   
      
    Arya followed Gendry up to his bedroom.

  
“Wait here.” He told her motioning for her to sit on his bed before he headed back out of the room.

  
Arya peered around the room, at the four identical beds, four identical bedside tables and four identical dressers. Something tugged at her heart knowing this was how Gendry lived, how Jon had lived, her thoughts flickered back to her own bedroom at home. She reclined back on the bed whilst waiting for Gendry and closed her eyes.

  
    “Don’t go falling asleep on me.” Gendry said coming back in the room and Arya opened her eyes. He was clean now, he wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Arya sat up suddenly taking in his bare chest and bit down on her lip.

  
“Hey.” She said softly as he closed the door.

  
“Hi.” He grinned back leaning against the door.

  
She looked at him wide eyed for a moment before leaping to her feet and taking a few steps towards him.

  
“Gendry..” she said his name like a prayer, pressing her body up against his.

  
“Arya..” He gasped back breathlessly.

  
“Ohh.” Arya grinned opening her mouth to form a sly expression.

  
“Ah.” Gendry said nervously dropping his hands to his crotch. “I’m sorry!”

  
    Arya looked at him defiantly, she shook her head slightly.

  
“Don’t be.” She said removing her shirt.

  
“Arya..” he glanced down at her, trying to avoid looking at her breasts.

  
“When will they be back?”

  
“Not until 4.”

  
“Okay.” She nodded.

  
Gendry bent down to kiss her, laying his hands on the back of her neck, she kissed him back intently. She pushed him lightly towards the bed before he unhooked her bra, freeing her breasts. This time he didn’t even avoid looking. She saw his towel twitch as he looked down at her. Arya kissed him lightly once more before pushing him back on the bed and pulling her shorts down.

  
“Are you sure?” Gendry asked propping himself up on his elbows.

  
“I don’t do anything without being sure.” She said confidently lowering herself on top of him. She still had her pants on, and Gendry still had his towel wrapped around his hips, but she could feel his cock bulging below her.

  
    “Arya.” he groaned flipping their positions so she was below him.

  
Arya looked up at him, he is the most beautiful human I have ever seen, she thought to herself. She shimmied her way out of her pants and pulled his towel from around his waist. Both of their eyes wandered over one another, before their eyes met again, they both grinned at one another. Gendry ran his hands lightly over her breasts, then down to her thighs.

  
“Sure?” He asked again.

  
Arya reached out to grasp his cock in her hand.

  
“Are you?” She almost growled at him.

  
“Oh Gods!” he murmured and moved his hand between her legs.

  
Arya had never kissed anyone before Gendry, and she certainly hadn’t done this before, but she was happier than she’d ever been before at that moment with her small hand wrapped tightly around Gendry’s cock, and with his hand between her legs slowly massaging the sensitive nub there. Arya caught Gendry’s lower lip between her teeth and groaned as he picked up the intensity between her legs, she returned this by increasing the speed her hand moved on his cock.

  
    “Arya..” He sighed as his body shuddered and her hand became sticky. She grinned at him, he lightly kissed her and moved away from her. He returned seconds later passing her the towel for her hand.

  
     Arya knew nothing about sexual things or what she should have expected, but she was happy, she wasn’t sure anything much had actually happened for her, but she began to sit up.

  
“No.” Gendry said lowering himself so his head came between her legs. “You aren’t done yet.”

  
“Oh.” She said.

  
Gendry brought his head between her legs, she peered down to see his tongue poking out of his mouth as it began to work and the nub as his fingers had earlier.

  
“Shit.” She whispered running her fingers through his short hair. “Oh shit.” She sighed.

  
Eventually her whole body shuddered and she gasped, louder than she should have, she quickly bit down on her hand to stop herself from crying out.

  
    Gendry rose from between her legs, a huge grin plastered on his face. Arya just led there looking up at him.

  
“Shit, look at the time.” Gendry groaned gathering Arya’s clothes.

  
“Oh shit.” she said throwing her clothes on quickly.

  
“If only I had more time.” Gendry said kissing her once they were both fully clothed.

  
“Oh, yeah?” She raised an eyebrow at him as the bedroom door flew open.

  
    “Gendry!” Marya scolded.

  
“Oh, sorry Marya, I just had to clean off..” Gendry blushed looking down at his feet.

  
“You should have let Arya stay downstairs.” She scolded lightly.

  
“I didn’t think..”

  
“You boys never do.” She shook her head at Gendry. “You okay sweetie?” she asked Arya.

  
“I’m great.” Arya smiled. “We’d best get going, Gendry’s coming to help me grab some stuff from school. Do you mind if he comes to mine for dinner tonight?”

  
Marya smiled at her.

  
“Be home by 9, Gendry.” she said before the two of them turned to leave.

  
    “Do you think she knew?” Gendry said in a whisper as they made their way down the stairs.

  
“I don’t know.” Arya answered with a slight blush.

  
Once they were out of the house, Gendry gently took Arya’s hand in his own as they walked towards her school in silence.

  
    “Hey, Gendry?” Arya broke the silence held way there.

  
“Yeah?” He smiled down at her.

  
“What, what are we?” She asked almost shyly.

  
Gendry stopped suddenly and turned to face her.

  
“What do you want us to be?” He asked softly.

  
She looked up at him, not knowing how to respond. She knew that he was her whole world. She trusted him entirely, he was her best friend and confident, she would do anything and everything for this man. She thought deeply but no words came out. Instead she reached up on her tip toes and kissed him intently.

  
“I want you Arya, I need you.” He groaned.

  
She pressed her forehead to his.

  
“You are my everything.” She said, feeling stupid immediately.

  
“You’re too good for me. I’m..”

  
“No. I told you before, I’m not too good for you. I- Gendry I-“ she couldn’t finish the sentence.

  
“I can be your boyfriend?” she wasn’t sure if he was suggesting it or asking it.

  
“You are my boyfriend then.” She grinned at him before moving her lips to his.  
  
    They approached Arya’s school and suddenly she stopped moving, she grabbed his hand roughly, turning him to face her. Or, at least she tried to turn him, but he got what she was doing and faced her all the same.

  
“Why do you always think you’re not good enough for me?” She said sadly.

  
“I’m not.” He responded.

  
“Come on, you can do better than that.”

  
“Arya, you’ve seen where I live.. how I live. And that’s the best place I’ve lived in my whole life.” He set him arms lightly around her shoulders pulling her to his chest. “And I’ve seen where you live, and how you live. The two are complete opposites. You’re parents wouldn't approve of us being together.”

  
“I don’t care.” She mumbled into his chest. “I don’t care! I only care about you, about us. You are the only person who has ever treated me like me. Like the me I am. My dad isn’t too bad at it, Robb, Bran or Rickon either. But my mother and Sansa, they constantly want me to be different, they can’t handle the fact that I don’t want to wear dresses or sit around drinking tea like a proper little girl. They hate that I love playing rugby, wearing shorts and working on cars.” Arya had pulled away from his chest by this point, the words were running out of her mouth, almost as though she wasn’t even thinking about them. “They’d hate that I love you, they’d hate that I’m running around with you, they’d hate that I work in the garage to spend time with you. But they hate anything I do.” Tears were streaming slowly down her face.

  
“I’ve never seen you cry before.” Gendry said softly looping an arm around her waist, he held her momentarily.

  
“Hang on.” He pulled himself back and tilted her face up towards his, he wiped her tears away. “You love me?”

  
“Oh..” Arya blushed. “Shit. I didn’t..”

  
“You don’t?”

  
“No! I mean yes. Awh shit.”

  
“Arya,” he smiled softly, “You’re making no sense, love.”

  
She stared up at him, her mind whirring. I said I loved him, she thought. Do I love him, do I? Or was it just something that flew out of my mouth?

  
“I- I-“ She stuttered again.

  
“It’s okay.” He replied pulling her into his chest. “I love you Arya.”

  
She pressed her face into his chest.

  
“I love you too Gendry.” She murmured back.

  
He tilted her head away from his chest to meet his shining blue eyes, and lent down to fill her with the sweetest kiss imaginable.

  
    “Come on.” Arya pulled him down the road eventually. “The school will be locked up by time we get there!”

  
“And who’s fault is that?” Gendry laughed at her.

  
“Shut up!”

  
    “Did it get bigger?” Gendry asked her as they approached the school.

  
“I don’t think so.” She frowned.

  
“Looks like it grew.”

  
She shook her head at him and pulled him down a corridor.

  
“This one’s my locker.” she said opening it up pulling books out, she piled some in Gendry’s arms and put others into her back pack.

  
“Shit, wait here.” She said once the locker was empty, “I’ve got to go check my locker in the girls changing room. It’s just through here.” She kissed him and left.

  
    “Stark.” a voice came from behind her.

  
Arya spun looking around. The voice was male, but this was the woman locker room.

  
“The Northerners send their regards.” A second voice came from a different direction.

  
“Good job your pal is a good boy and didn’t come in the ladies locker room isn’t it.” A third voice added.

  
Arya’s hands formed into fists by her side.

  
“What do you want?” She spat.

  
“To finish the job.” The first voice sneered.

  
Realisation hit Arya in the pit of her stomach.

  
“I’ll do to you what I did to them.” She said confidently.

  
The three boys started to advance on her.

  
“Try me.” She said louder.

  
One of the boys laid a hand on her shoulder, she gripped his arm and flipped him over despite their size difference.

  
“What the fuck.” The third boy said.

  
“Grab the wolf bitch.” The first one said.

  
Arya began to move, they were a lot bigger than her and stronger, but she was faster, and knew how to defend herself. One of them got hold of her shirt, she felt it rip. She spun and hit the boy clean in the face, his hands went up to his face so she kicked him hard between the legs.

  
“THE FUCK DO YOU ALL WANT WITH ME?” She screamed as Gendry came running in, she noted his nose was bleeding.

  
The one boy left standing started to back off, trying to escape.

  
“No.” Gendry growled at him.

  
The boy had been a lot bigger than Arya, but Gendry still towered over him.

  
“Run and get help.” Gendry said to her calmly.

  
She looked at him briefly questioning his words, but did as he said.

  
    She took off out of the dressing room and noted her books all over the floor, she sprinted passed them to the office at the end of the hall. She didn’t bother knocking as she burst into the room. She must have looked a sight, her top was ripped right open, and the leg of her shorts had been torn.

  
“Come.” She urged and turned on the heels. She began to walk back to the dressing room as the principal rose to follow her.

  
“Phone the police.” She heard him say to the secretary.


	20. ARYA

    “Davos says you can finish at 3, and come with me to get my stuff.” Arya said after she returned to the office for a second time.

  
“Why?” Gendry narrowed his eyes at her.

  
“Might have made out like I need a hand carrying my stuff.”

  
Gendry groaned in response.

  
“What?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

  
“You’re the cutest little ball of contradictions.”

  
“Eh?”

  
“You don’t want to be treated like some little princess; but then you make out to Davos that you need a hand carrying your stuff. You squirmed away from me not wanting to get greasy; normally you’re bathing in the oil! You’re just..” he trailed off, a crease forming between his eyes.

  
Something twinkled in her eyes, and Arya reached out to smooth the crease away, then trailed her finger down his nose, and let it rest on his lips.

  
“Maybe I am playing the game.” she said breathy.

  
Gendry parted his lips lightly, her finger remained in place, so he nibbled it gently. The two of them stood staring at one another until they both jumped apart when they heard a banging from one of the other mechanics.

  
    “I’m gonna.. go read..” Arya started to back away slowly, “out there, until 3, okay?”

  
Gendry nodded in response, a look crossed his face briefly and he quickly turned around. Arya continued to back away, but noted him bending his body over towards an empty work bench. She grinned and turned to leave.

  
    Arya went to their tree to read whilst she waited for Gendry, she peered up when she heard footsteps, knowing it wasn’t Gendry.

  
“Oh, hi Jon?” Arya said.

  
“Arya, what are you doing here?” Jon smiled down at her.

  
“Just reading.” she said noticing Jon frown slightly. “Sit cousin.”

  
Jon sat beside her, neither of them talked for a few moments.

  
“What are you doing here?” Arya asked eventually breaking the silence.

  
“I ugh..” he motioned towards the auto-shop and group home.

  
“Thought you didn’t live here any more?” She said turning her head towards him.

  
“Yeah. I just, y’know I like to visit.”

  
“Not working this week?”

  
“Got a couple of day off.”

  
“So you choose to hang out here?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

  
“You’re one to talk.”

  
“I’m waiting for Gendry to finish work.” she responded defensively.

  
Jon laughed.

  
“What?” Arya asked.

  
“He’s a good bloke.” Jon smiled.

  
“I know.” Arya sighed slightly. “What’s that meant to mean anyways?”

  
“You and him..”

  
Arya looked dumbfounded and bit lightly on her lower lip.

  
“We’re..” Arya struggled to define what was happening. Arya was clueless when it came to boys and stuff like that, but even she knew her and Gendry were more than just friends.

  
Jon gripped her hand lightly.

  
“It’s okay.” he said.

  
“Thanks.” she murmured.

  
“I’d better go see Marya, she’ll kill me if she knew I’d been here this long without seeing her.” Jon said standing up.

  
“Hey, Jon,” Arya said, “You know you can come up to the house any time, right? Can hang out with me or whatever?”

  
“Mm,” Jon laughed, “Best I check you’re not here first though, right?”

  
“Maybe.” She grinned up at him before returning to her book.  
  
    At 2:55pm Arya stood putting her book into her bag and headed back to the auto-shop. She lent up against a steal pillar watching Gendry work. She watched his muscles ripple as he picked up car parts and found herself almost breathless. She had no idea why, particularly since she’d already ran her hands all over the muscles in his arms and chest. But watching them flex through work sent a shock of something through her body. She peered down at her watch as it ticked to 3pm.

  
“Hey.” She said cooly still against the pillar.

  
“How long have you been stood there?” He said turning to face her slowly. He was sweaty and covered in grease, but Arya sighed at the sight of him.

  
“You need to clean up.” She said.

  
“Too low looking for you am I milady?” he teased taking a step towards her.

  
Arya swallowed a deep breath of air and stood up straight, she glanced down to his chest where his sweat strained t-shirt clung to his muscles. She took a step towards him, grasping his shirt in her hands, pulling his face down towards hers.

  
“You need to clean up, or I will rip those clothes off of you.” she responded in a low voice.

  
Gendry’s eyes skimmed down her body then back to her face. His blue eyes locked on her determined grey ones.

  
Arya thought he looked like he was considering the options put in front of him.

  
“Ugh.. yeah.. I’ll..” he murmured pointing towards the house.

  
    Gendry turned around and began to move away, he suddenly paused as though he’d forgot something. He made his way back to Arya, bent to kiss her lightly once before grasping her hand and pulling her after him.   
      
    Arya followed Gendry up to his bedroom.

  
“Wait here.” He told her motioning for her to sit on his bed before he headed back out of the room.

  
Arya peered around the room, at the four identical beds, four identical bedside tables and four identical dressers. Something tugged at her heart knowing this was how Gendry lived, how Jon had lived, her thoughts flickered back to her own bedroom at home. She reclined back on the bed whilst waiting for Gendry and closed her eyes.

  
    “Don’t go falling asleep on me.” Gendry said coming back in the room and Arya opened her eyes. He was clean now, he wore nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Arya sat up suddenly taking in his bare chest and bit down on her lip.

  
“Hey.” She said softly as he closed the door.

  
“Hi.” He grinned back leaning against the door.

  
She looked at him wide eyed for a moment before leaping to her feet and taking a few steps towards him.

  
“Gendry..” she said his name like a prayer, pressing her body up against his.

  
“Arya..” He gasped back breathlessly.

  
“Ohh.” Arya grinned opening her mouth to form a sly expression.

  
“Ah.” Gendry said nervously dropping his hands to his crotch. “I’m sorry!”

  
    Arya looked at him defiantly, she shook her head slightly.

  
“Don’t be.” She said removing her shirt.

  
“Arya..” he glanced down at her, trying to avoid looking at her breasts.

  
“When will they be back?”

  
“Not until 4.”

  
“Okay.” She nodded.

  
Gendry bent down to kiss her, laying his hands on the back of her neck, she kissed him back intently. She pushed him lightly towards the bed before he unhooked her bra, freeing her breasts. This time he didn’t even avoid looking. She saw his towel twitch as he looked down at her. Arya kissed him lightly once more before pushing him back on the bed and pulling her shorts down.

  
“Are you sure?” Gendry asked propping himself up on his elbows.

  
“I don’t do anything without being sure.” She said confidently lowering herself on top of him. She still had her pants on, and Gendry still had his towel wrapped around his hips, but she could feel his cock bulging below her.

  
    “Arya.” he groaned flipping their positions so she was below him.

  
Arya looked up at him, he is the most beautiful human I have ever seen, she thought to herself. She shimmied her way out of her pants and pulled his towel from around his waist. Both of their eyes wandered over one another, before their eyes met again, they both grinned at one another. Gendry ran his hands lightly over her breasts, then down to her thighs.

  
“Sure?” He asked again.

  
Arya reached out to grasp his cock in her hand.

  
“Are you?” She almost growled at him.

  
“Oh Gods!” he murmured and moved his hand between her legs.

  
Arya had never kissed anyone before Gendry, and she certainly hadn’t done this before, but she was happier than she’d ever been before at that moment with her small hand wrapped tightly around Gendry’s cock, and with his hand between her legs slowly massaging the sensitive nub there. Arya caught Gendry’s lower lip between her teeth and groaned as he picked up the intensity between her legs, she returned this by increasing the speed her hand moved on his cock.

  
    “Arya..” He sighed as his body shuddered and her hand became sticky. She grinned at him, he lightly kissed her and moved away from her. He returned seconds later passing her the towel for her hand.

  
     Arya knew nothing about sexual things or what she should have expected, but she was happy, she wasn’t sure anything much had actually happened for her, but she began to sit up.

  
“No.” Gendry said lowering himself so his head came between her legs. “You aren’t done yet.”

  
“Oh.” She said.

  
Gendry brought his head between her legs, she peered down to see his tongue poking out of his mouth as it began to work and the nub as his fingers had earlier.

  
“Shit.” She whispered running her fingers through his short hair. “Oh shit.” She sighed.

  
Eventually her whole body shuddered and she gasped, louder than she should have, she quickly bit down on her hand to stop herself from crying out.

  
    Gendry rose from between her legs, a huge grin plastered on his face. Arya just led there looking up at him.

  
“Shit, look at the time.” Gendry groaned gathering Arya’s clothes.

  
“Oh shit.” she said throwing her clothes on quickly.

  
“If only I had more time.” Gendry said kissing her once they were both fully clothed.

  
“Oh, yeah?” She raised an eyebrow at him as the bedroom door flew open.

  
    “Gendry!” Marya scolded.

  
“Oh, sorry Marya, I just had to clean off..” Gendry blushed looking down at his feet.

  
“You should have let Arya stay downstairs.” She scolded lightly.

  
“I didn’t think..”

  
“You boys never do.” She shook her head at Gendry. “You okay sweetie?” she asked Arya.

  
“I’m great.” Arya smiled. “We’d best get going, Gendry’s coming to help me grab some stuff from school. Do you mind if he comes to mine for dinner tonight?”

  
Marya smiled at her.

  
“Be home by 9, Gendry.” she said before the two of them turned to leave.

  
    “Do you think she knew?” Gendry said in a whisper as they made their way down the stairs.

  
“I don’t know.” Arya answered with a slight blush.

  
Once they were out of the house, Gendry gently took Arya’s hand in his own as they walked towards her school in silence.

  
    “Hey, Gendry?” Arya broke the silence held way there.

  
“Yeah?” He smiled down at her.

  
“What, what are we?” She asked almost shyly.

  
Gendry stopped suddenly and turned to face her.

  
“What do you want us to be?” He asked softly.

  
She looked up at him, not knowing how to respond. She knew that he was her whole world. She trusted him entirely, he was her best friend and confident, she would do anything and everything for this man. She thought deeply but no words came out. Instead she reached up on her tip toes and kissed him intently.

  
“I want you Arya, I need you.” He groaned.

  
She pressed her forehead to his.

  
“You are my everything.” She said, feeling stupid immediately.

  
“You’re too good for me. I’m..”

  
“No. I told you before, I’m not too good for you. I- Gendry I-“ she couldn’t finish the sentence.

  
“I can be your boyfriend?” she wasn’t sure if he was suggesting it or asking it.

  
“You are my boyfriend then.” She grinned at him before moving her lips to his.  
  
    They approached Arya’s school and suddenly she stopped moving, she grabbed his hand roughly, turning him to face her. Or, at least she tried to turn him, but he got what she was doing and faced her all the same.

  
“Why do you always think you’re not good enough for me?” She said sadly.

  
“I’m not.” He responded.

  
“Come on, you can do better than that.”

  
“Arya, you’ve seen where I live.. how I live. And that’s the best place I’ve lived in my whole life.” He set him arms lightly around her shoulders pulling her to his chest. “And I’ve seen where you live, and how you live. The two are complete opposites. You’re parents wouldn't approve of us being together.”

  
“I don’t care.” She mumbled into his chest. “I don’t care! I only care about you, about us. You are the only person who has ever treated me like me. Like the me I am. My dad isn’t too bad at it, Robb, Bran or Rickon either. But my mother and Sansa, they constantly want me to be different, they can’t handle the fact that I don’t want to wear dresses or sit around drinking tea like a proper little girl. They hate that I love playing rugby, wearing shorts and working on cars.” Arya had pulled away from his chest by this point, the words were running out of her mouth, almost as though she wasn’t even thinking about them. “They’d hate that I love you, they’d hate that I’m running around with you, they’d hate that I work in the garage to spend time with you. But they hate anything I do.” Tears were streaming slowly down her face.

  
“I’ve never seen you cry before.” Gendry said softly looping an arm around her waist, he held her momentarily.

  
“Hang on.” He pulled himself back and tilted her face up towards his, he wiped her tears away. “You love me?”

  
“Oh..” Arya blushed. “Shit. I didn’t..”

  
“You don’t?”

  
“No! I mean yes. Awh shit.”

  
“Arya,” he smiled softly, “You’re making no sense, love.”

  
She stared up at him, her mind whirring. I said I loved him, she thought. Do I love him, do I? Or was it just something that flew out of my mouth?

  
“I- I-“ She stuttered again.

  
“It’s okay.” He replied pulling her into his chest. “I love you Arya.”

  
She pressed her face into his chest.

  
“I love you too Gendry.” She murmured back.

  
He tilted her head away from his chest to meet his shining blue eyes, and lent down to fill her with the sweetest kiss imaginable.

  
    “Come on.” Arya pulled him down the road eventually. “The school will be locked up by time we get there!”

  
“And who’s fault is that?” Gendry laughed at her.

  
“Shut up!”

  
    “Did it get bigger?” Gendry asked her as they approached the school.

  
“I don’t think so.” She frowned.

  
“Looks like it grew.”

  
She shook her head at him and pulled him down a corridor.

  
“This one’s my locker.” she said opening it up pulling books out, she piled some in Gendry’s arms and put others into her back pack.

  
“Shit, wait here.” She said once the locker was empty, “I’ve got to go check my locker in the girls changing room. It’s just through here.” She kissed him and left.

  
    “Stark.” a voice came from behind her.

  
Arya spun looking around. The voice was male, but this was the woman locker room.

  
“The Northerners send their regards.” A second voice came from a different direction.

  
“Good job your pal is a good boy and didn’t come in the ladies locker room isn’t it.” A third voice added.

  
Arya’s hands formed into fists by her side.

  
“What do you want?” She spat.

  
“To finish the job.” The first voice sneered.

  
Realisation hit Arya in the pit of her stomach.

  
“I’ll do to you what I did to them.” She said confidently.

  
The three boys started to advance on her.

  
“Try me.” She said louder.

  
One of the boys laid a hand on her shoulder, she gripped his arm and flipped him over despite their size difference.

  
“What the fuck.” The third boy said.

  
“Grab the wolf bitch.” The first one said.

  
Arya began to move, they were a lot bigger than her and stronger, but she was faster, and knew how to defend herself. One of them got hold of her shirt, she felt it rip. She spun and hit the boy clean in the face, his hands went up to his face so she kicked him hard between the legs.

  
“THE FUCK DO YOU ALL WANT WITH ME?” She screamed as Gendry came running in, she noted his nose was bleeding.

  
The one boy left standing started to back off, trying to escape.

  
“No.” Gendry growled at him.

  
The boy had been a lot bigger than Arya, but Gendry still towered over him.

  
“Run and get help.” Gendry said to her calmly.

  
She looked at him briefly questioning his words, but did as he said.

  
    She took off out of the dressing room and noted her books all over the floor, she sprinted passed them to the office at the end of the hall. She didn’t bother knocking as she burst into the room. She must have looked a sight, her top was ripped right open, and the leg of her shorts had been torn.

  
“Come.” She urged and turned on the heels. She began to walk back to the dressing room as the principal rose to follow her.

  
“Phone the police.” She heard him say to the secretary.


	21. ARYA

    “The police are still interviewing the boys. Ms Tyrell is showing them the video from the hall, and they’ll come and interview the two of you later.” Mr Selmy informed them.

  
“Come on Arya, we’re going home.” Her mother said.

  
Arya stepped back to Gendry. She hadn’t spoken since she’d said Gendry was her boyfriend. She turned into his chest and he lightly wrapped his arms around her.

  
“Guess you’re coming with us as well Gendry?” her father said.

  
Arya peered up to see her mother give her father a sharp look.

  
    The car ride from the school back to her house was tense. Her dad kept trying to make conversation but Arya wouldn’t talk.

  
“You’re safe.” Gendry kept whispering into her ear, and she’d squeeze his hand in reply.

  
She noticed her mother giving her father and Gendry sharp looks.

  
“You’ve not been here before have you Gendry?” Her mother asked in a testing tone as they drove through the front gates.

  
“I was at the party last week. Only then.” He responded.

  
“You were at the party?” She turned her head to study the boy.

  
“Of course.” Her father laughed.  

  
“Eddard?” Her mother questioned.

  
“Well, it was extremely out of character for Arya to wear a dress and dance with a boy wasn’t it? Makes sense that it was Gendry.” He responded.

  
Arya let out a small chuckle, Gendry grinned down at her and brushed his lips against her forehead.

  
“I love you.” he whispered into her ear.

  
She wasn’t ready to talk yet, so she traced “I <3 U” onto his thigh.   
  
    Gendry helped her into the house and she laid down on a large sofa in the family room. He knelt on the floor beside her. Her mother and father had gone somewhere else, they were probably telling her siblings what had happened.

  
“Don’t leave me.” She said falteringly.

  
“Not until I have to.” He replied kissing her.

  
“Is your nose okay?” She said laying a hand on his cheek.

  
“Really? What just happened and you’re worried about me?”

  
“It’s easier to worry about you than feel sorry for myself.”

  
“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. You’ve nothing to feel sorry about. They’re going to get it this time. There’s proof.”

  
She grimaced.

  
“What’s wrong?” He asked soothingly.

  
“Everyone is going to know.” she sighed.

  
“I’ll be by your side.”  
  
    “It’s all my fault!” Robb said rushing into the room.

  
Arya pushed herself up so that she was sitting on the sofa now, she studied her older brother briefly. Gendry stood from his position on the floor.

  
“Hey, I just..” he motioned to the door, “I’ll be back okay?”

  
Arya nodded lightly.

  
“Robb,” Arya said lightly tapping the sofa next to her. “It’s not your fault.”

  
“It is though. You’re my baby sister, I’m meant to protect you. And now I find out about this.”

  
“What could you have done? Joined their gang?”

  
“I.. no..”

  
“See, you couldn’t have done anything. I’m just glad it’s me they chose to go after back in The North, rather than Sansa.”

  
Robb grasped her hand.

  
“At least I can fight. None of them got below my clothes. 7 of them tried, plus the 2 that were with Gendry.”

  
“Fuck Arya.”

  
“None of them will be using their cocks any time soon.” She tried to joke

  
“Did you get a good hit on them all?”

  
“Nah, the one cowered away.”

  
“Arya, I’m glad you have Gendry.” Robb said wrapping his arms around her. “You need someone to make you happy.”

  
Robb sat beside her until Gendry returned. 


	22. GENDRY

    “Sorry, I had to ring Marya, give her a brief in case I’m not home in time. Your dad said the police will talk to me here.” Gendry told Arya as he settled onto the sofa beside her.

  
"Can you stay then?” Arya looked up at him between her lashes. She looked so small and innocent. “I don’t want you to leave.”

  
“I’ll be here until you’re okay, or until someone physically throws me out.” he responded lightly.

  
Arya nuzzled her face into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

  
    “Guys, the police are here, they want to interview the two of you separately.” Robb walked into the room.

  
Gendry nodded and made to stand, Arya looked up at him.

  
“It’s okay,” he knelt in front of her. “I’m just going to be in another room, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  
“I’ll stay with you Ar.” Robb said smiling sadly at Gendry.

  
Gendry gave the older boy a curt nod and left the room.  
      
    “Mr Waters?” A police officer asked as he walked out into the front hall.

  
“Yes, Gendry, I’m Gendry Waters.” He said nervously.

  
Eddard walked over and laid a hand on his shoulder.

  
“You okay?” He asked quietly.

  
“I’m fine.” He nodded, “Just worried about Arya. I know she’s tough.. but..”

  
The police officer cleared his voice and motioned to another doorway.

  
“I’ve spoke to Davos, he’s on his way.” Ned added before heading off to the family room.

  
Gendry followed the police officer through the door, they had entered a dining room where a recorder and notebook were set on the table.

  
“Davos is your guardian, yes?” The police officer asked him.

  
Gendry nodded.

  
“We’ll wait for him.”

  
Gendry frowned.

  
“Why do we have to wait? I haven’t done anything wrong?” Gendry replied.

  
“Oh, it’s just best seeing as you’re not 18 yet.”

  
Gendry and the police officer sat in silence for about ten minutes waiting for Davos to arrive. Gendry wanted to run back to Arya, why had they made him leave just to wait around.

  
    A shot of pain radiated through Gendry’s face as he waited, he closed his eyes tightly and tried to push the pain out. He put his elbows on the table and slumped forward with the heels of his hands on his forehead. He sat up straight when the door opened.

  
“Lad.” Davos greeted him.

  
Gendry rose to his feet as the older man crossed the room to wrap his arms around him. He pulled back and studied Gendry’s face.

  
“That hurt?” He nodded towards Gendry’s face.

  
“It only just started hurting, when I left Arya.”

  
    “Could you both sit please?” The police officer said impatiently.

  
“The boy is in pain,” Davos said, “Let me see he’s okay first.”

  
“I’m fine Davos, it’s okay. I want to get this over with.” Gendry sighed.

  
The two of them took their seats opposite the police officer.

  
“Right, Gendry, I am going to be recording this interview, is that okay?” The police officer said.

  
“Er yeah I guess.” He replied.

  
“Okay, well tell me what happened today please.”

  
    Gendry launched into the story for what felt like the hundredth time today. The police officer sat nodding slightly now and then. Gendry had fixed his eyes on the table, and was grasping the edge of it tightly as he recounted the events.

  
“And what about before today?” The police officer asked once Gendry had finished.

  
“Well, that happened before I met Arya, it happened in The North.” Gendry replied with a frown.

  
“Irregardless, I’d like you to tell us what you know.”

  
So Gendry told the police officer what Arya had told him about the four boys back in The North who had attacked her.

  
“Okay, thank you for your time Mr Waters.” The police officer said once he’d finished the story.

  
“I can leave?” Gendry asked.

  
“Go.” The man answered.

  
Gendry rose to leave the room and Davos followed him out.

  
    He walked into the hallway with Davos, Arya’s mother, sister and older brother were all stood outside the family room door.

  
“You alright mate?” Robb asked.

  
Gendry just blinked and nodded, he rubbed a hand across his forehead.

  
“Arya still in there?” Gendry asked softly.

  
“Yes. Her father is with her.” Catelyn Stark answered cooly.

  
“Gendry? Perhaps we should go home?” Davos asked him.

  
Gendry stared at his feet, he knew Arya didn’t want him to leave, but he also knew her family would want him gone as soon as possible.

  
“Arya wants him to stay.” Sansa said softly.

  
Gendry’s eyes flew up to the girl. Arya had told him a lot about her sister, and Gendry was very surprised that the girl was sticking up for them now.

  
“Sansa-“ Catelyn began.

  
“Mum, I know, but she’s going to shut off again if you make him leave.” the girl added.

  
“Sansa’s right.” Robb agreed.


	23. ARYA

    Arya didn’t want Gendry to leave the room, but she knew that the police would want to interview them separately, to test their stories. Robb sat with her as she waited for the police to come in. She brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping herself into a protective ball.

  
“How are you doing?” Robb asked her.

  
She twisted her head to the side slightly to look at her older brother but didn’t answer. Arya could see a growing worry building on Robbs face.

  
“Arya, the police officer is here to speak to you.” Her dad said coming into the room followed by a policewoman.

  
Robb rose to leave the room.

  
“Hello Arya,” The policewoman said softly.

  
Arya glanced up at her, and to her father.

  
“Okay, I’m going to set up a recording device and take some notes as we talk. Is that okay.” She asked.

  
Arya frowned, her father sat beside her and grasped her hand.

  
“I want Gendry.” Arya murmured.

  
“We need to interview the two of you separately.” The woman said with a sad smile.

  
“Yeah, to make sure we’re not lying?” Arya replied.

  
“It’s not that..” she said hesitantly.

  
Arya ground her teeth together.

  
“Can you tell me what happened. Start at the beginning.” The policewoman said to her.

  
    Arya took a deep breath in and closed her eyes. She began to recount the story of what happened back in _The North_ and then what had happened that day. The whole time she was talking her father held her hand tightly.

  
“What’s going to happen now?” Her dad asked the policewoman.

  
The woman started to explain the procedure to her father, but Arya tuned it all out. She stared across the room into the empty fireplace. She could hear them talking, but she stood up.

  
“I don’t want to be afraid any more.” Arya said sternly.

  
“You don’t have to be. They’re going away.” her dad responded.

  
“I thought I could protect myself. Especially this time.”

  
“You did. You stopped them.”

  
“If Gendry wasn’t there.. it would have been me against five of them. No amount of karate or rugby training could have helped me if I’d have been against five of them.” she’d become animated, her voice rising. “It doesn’t matter how tough I am, it doesn’t matter how hard I fight, it would have been me against five of them, they’d have fucked me.. they’d probably have killed me! And why? _Why_?”

  
    Her voice cracked on the last word. Her shouting had brought Gendry rushing into the room, followed by her mother, Robb and Sansa.

  
“Arya, Arya,” Gendry soothed taking her in his arms.

  
“Don’t leave me. Please don’t leave.” She mumbled into his chest wrapping her arms tightly around him. “I’m only good when I’m with you.”

  
“Shh, shh..” He murmured into her hair, he guided her to one of the sofas and set her down.

  
“You should try and get some sleep.” her mother said placing a hand lightly on her cheek.

  
Arya shook her head, knowing her mum would make Gendry leave the moment she fell asleep.

  
“Gendry will be here when you wake.” Her father added, and to her surprise her mother nodded her head.


	24. GENDRY

    Arya was balled up on the sofa, Gendry noticed a blanket draped over the back of the sofa, he pulled it off and wrapped her up. Her grey eyes were determined but they were rimmed with red.

  
“You’re tough.” Gendry whispered to her.

  
“I’m not.” She responded.

  
“Shit Arya, you kicked the shit out of two boys far bigger than you, and the other three back home. You are the toughest person I know.”

  
Arya frowned at him, he put a hand lightly on her cheek.

  
“You are the toughest most stubborn person in the world, you will be okay. Okay?” He added.

  
“I’m the most stubborn person in the world?” She asked with a small smile on her lips, obviously thinking of the story he’d told her about his nickname being The Bull.

  
“You need to rest.” Gendry told her gently.

  
“Don’t leave.” She said closing her eyes.

  
He moved his hand from her cheek and settled onto the floor beside her sofa.

  
    He sat there for some time, he heard someone walk into the room so he turned his head to find Arya’s sister.

  
“I thought you might like a drink or something to eat?” She was carrying a tray with a glass of water and a sandwich.

  
“Oh,” he peered at Arya, “I’m okay.”

  
“You’re not. Come on, sit on that sofa.”

  
He did as she said.

  
“You won’t be any good to my sister if you don’t look after yourself.” Sansa said.

  
He nodded lightly and picked the sandwich up.

  
“I guess Arya’s told you all about me?” Sansa asked.

  
“Well, she’s said some stuff..”

  
“You should know,” Sansa said almost diplomatically, “we’re very different people. We’re probably direct opposites, we argue all the time, but despite all that, she’s still my little sister and I love her.”

  
“She might not realise it, but she loves you too.” Gendry replied.

  
“I know.” Sansa said sadly. “Now, I know.”

  
Gendry looked up at the girl, she was pretty and very different to Arya, they didn’t look a thing like one another. Yet, there was something in her sad but defiant gaze that made him think of Arya.

  
The two of them cast their eyes to Arya, sleeping under the blanket across from them.

  
“I heard her say she was glad they went after her rather than me.” she whispered. “That’s just not right.. She’s my baby sister.”

  
Sansa began to sob. Gendry didn’t know what to do. When Arya had cried she was silent, but Sansa’s sobs were noisy.

  
“Sansa.. it’s, it’s okay. She’s safe now.” Gendry thought about taking the girl in his arms, but hesitated. He peered around the room and noticed a box of tissues, he went to fetch them back to her.

  
“Thank you.” She dried her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

  
    “I think she held on to all of this for so long because she didn’t want to look weak. She thinks this makes her weak. It doesn’t.” Gendry said once Sansa had stopped crying.

  
“She fought them. They never.. they never defiled her.. she might have been shook up but she beat them.” Sansa responded.

  
“Exactly.” Gendry agreed. “She will be fine, we just need to make her see that she’s not weak, she beat them.”

  
    “Gendry,” Sansa said thoughtfully a while later, “Arya has probably told you that my mother and myself would not approve of you or anything she does. But, after today, I don’t care. As long as you treat my baby sister right and love her, I will back you up with her. You’re good for her. I hadn’t realised until today. I hadn’t noticed.. how she was before we left _The North_ , not truly. She stopped talking as much as she used to, she basically cut off all her friends, she trained harder at rugby and karate, she ran every day. We didn’t know why, we just thought it was her acting out. But.. it was because of the attack, and none of us knew. We all accepted her story when she came home with a ripped skirt and her legs cut up, we all believed that she’d tripped or whatever it was she said. Because why would we even consider that four boys she’d known since she was like five years old had tried to rape her? If she’d told us - of course we’d have believed her. But she didn’t, she shut herself off. Then we moved here, and she met you. When she met you.. it was like the old Arya began to return.”

  
Gendry took a deep breath to steady himself.

  
“It’s.. hearing a different angle, it really hits you, you know?” He said eventually.

  
    “It’s getting late, I should go to bed. Father said you could sleep here on the sofa tonight if you’d like.” Sansa smiled rising to her feet.

  
“Thank you Sansa.” Gendry said.  



	25. ARYA

    Arya had woken up and glanced around the room. Someone had drawn the curtains across the windows and the room was quite dark, but Arya could make out Gendry’s form on another sofa in the room. She saw a clock that said it was 3:30, Arya stood and moved across to the sofa Gendry was on. She bent down and kissed him lightly and he stirred.

  
“What are you doing up?” He whispered.

  
“You were too far away.” she responded settling down on the sofa beside him. Gendry wrapped his arms around her, and she closed her eyes.

  
    She woke again and it was lighter in the room, the clock now said 5am. Arya’s shifted slightly and noticed that her mother was now sat in a chair across the room.

  
“Arya, you're awake?” Her mother croaked.

  
“I guess..” she looked over her shoulder to Gendry asleep behind her, she ran her hand over his hair.

  
“You love him don’t you?” Her mother asked.

  
Arya kept her gaze on Gendry, she smiled down at him.

  
“I couldn’t possibly love anyone else.” She said softly.

  
    “It was him you were dancing with at the party wasn’t it?” Her mother asked.

  
She turned to face her and nodded.

  
“I know you don’t approve of anything I do..” Arya began.

  
“Arya, after yesterday, I’m going to cut you more slack.” Her mother said softly.

  
“I’m sorry I couldn’t be more like Sansa.”

  
“Arya-“ Her mother got to her feet and made her way across the room towards her, Arya stood up. “Arya, if you were more like Sansa, this situation would have been a lot worse.” her mother wrapped her arms around her. “You are perfect as you are.”

  
“Mum, I’m okay, you should go to bed. It’s still early.” Arya said.

  
“Okay.” Her mother nodded solemnly before leaving.

  
    Arya headed back to the sofa Gendry was on.

  
“You’re awake right?” She said softly.

  
“Mm.” he murmured sleepily.

  
“Do you think we can just stay here?”

  
“Um.. forever?”

  
“Why not?” Arya laughed.

  
“Oh sure, why not.” Gendry started to tickle her softly.

  
Arya wrapped her arms around him and allowed the laughter to take over her body, soon Gendry was laughing back with her.

  
“Gods your laugh is the sweetest thing in the world.” He said placing a kiss on her lips.

  
“I love you.” She kissed him back.  
  
    Arya had planned out her school holidays before the attack. She was going to work and spend time with Gendry, but things had changed. For the week after the attack Arya didn’t leave the house. She spent the time with her siblings and parents, Gendry came around after work every night.

  
    One morning Arya woke up early, the sun was beginning to rise she looked out of the window, the sun was beginning to shine. Arya pulled on a t-shirt, pair of shorts and a pair of trainers. She pulled her hair up into a pony tail and stretched lightly.

  
“Where are you off?” Robb asked as she passed him on the landing.

  
“Run.” She said simply.

  
“Hang on, I’ll come with you.”

  
“I don’t need a babysitter!”

  
“Yeah, but maybe I need the exercise.” he chuckled walking into his room.

  
“I’ll be waiting for you by the front door, hurry up!” she called back.  
  
    “Shit!” Robb panted. They’d ran a 5 mile round circuit, Arya could have pushed harder at times, but felt Robb was a bit out of practice so slowed down every now and then.

  
“What?” Arya grinned at him.

  
“When did you get so fast?”

  
“I could have gone faster!” She teased.

  
“What? You were holding back for me?”

  
“A little. Guess I’ve been pushing harder and getting faster the last couple of years.”

  
“I’m glad you’re smiling again. I’ve missed it.” Robb said hugging her tight.

  
“Hey Robb, do you think you could drop me off at the auto-shop in about 30 minutes?” Arya asked after her brother had released her.

  
“You sure?” Robb asked.

  
“I’ve missed it.” she said casually.


	26. GENDRY

    Gendry had a car propped up on blocks and was changing the tires when he noticed a light pair of footsteps.

  
“What are you doing here?” Gendry asked.

  
“No hello, just what are you doing here?” Arya responded flatly.

  
Gendry turned to face her. She looked better than she’d looked in weeks, her skin was still paler than it should have been, and he could still see some worry in her eyes, but her grey eyes were no longer rimmed with red or purple shadows.

  
“Hello,” Gendry rolled his eyes taking a step towards her. “What are you doing here?”

  
Arya closed the distance so they were face to face, or rather her face to his chest. Gendry bent to kiss her.

  
“I was going crazy up at the house.” she told him at last. “Got Robb to drop me off.”

  
“Okay, well you’re going to have to work, you can’t just stand here kissing me all day.” he said bending down to kiss her again.

  
“Excuse me?” She said sarcastically. “You keep kissing me!”

  
Gendry grinned at her as she slipped off to find her overalls.

  
    “Arya?” Davos’ voice came from the office. “Are you sure  you’re okay to be here?”

  
“I really had to get out of the house.” she responded.

  
“What am I doing then?” Arya asked as she made her way back over to Gendry, who showed her what had to be done, she threw herself back into the work. Gendry was impressed by her resolve, they worked for hours in near silence. Neither of them needed to talk really, they seemed to have developed a way to work together in silence.

  
    “Robb is picking me up at five.” Arya said to him.

  
“Awh okay.” Gendry replied.

  
“You’re still coming to mine tonight though?”

  
“Yeah, yeah of course!”

  
“You might as well leave with her.” Davos said to Gendry. “I forgot just how much the two of you got done when you work together.”

  
The two of them nodded in response, Davos headed back to the office.

  
“See, we get so much done even when you’re constantly kissing me.” Gendry said kissing her once more. Arya wiggled her way out of his grasp and shot off from him, he rolled his eyes and followed her across the room. Somehow she’d gotten back around him and pushed him softly against a work station. He stood staring down at her wide eyed, she stared up at him with her mouth parted.

  
“I love you.” she whispered reaching up on her toes to kiss him.

  
“I love you too.” he responded. 


	27. ARYA

    Over the next two weeks Arya fell back into a routine. She’d wake up with the sun, go running with Robb. And then Robb or her parents would drop her off at the auto-shop. Arya and Gendry would spend the day working, the two of them were hard workers and found it easy to just be with each other. After work, Gendry would walk her home and stay until after dinner. Mondays and Tuesdays were the best days. That’s when Arya and Gendry had the day to themselves.

  
    “We’ll be back Friday.” her mother told her. “You’ll be okay won’t you?”

  
“Mum, I’m fine. Things are back to normal. I’m good.” Arya replied.

  
“She’s tough, Cat.” her father said before turning to hug her.

  
He bent down to pick the bags up and left.

  
“Look, I know you’re going to have Gendry around,” her mother put her hands on her shoulders.

  
“Mum-“ Arya began.

  
“Shh. Look, I’ve accepted you and him, telling you no only makes you want to do things more, so I’ve resigned myself to you being whatever you want to be. And he’s helped you exponentially, so it’s fine for him to stay.”

  
Arya frowned at her mother.

  
“But he sleeps on the sofa. We’ll see you Friday.” She kissed her forehead quickly and left.

  
    “So what talk did you get?” Robb asked coming into the hall with Sansa.

  
“What do you mean?” Arya asked.

  
“Well, I got told not to throw any parties.” Robb said.

  
“And I got told to look after you all.” Sansa added.

  
“Bran got told to make sure he got fresh air every day.” Robb smiled.

  
“And Rickon got told he had to listen to me and Robb.” Sansa laughed.

  
“She told me Gendry could sleep on the sofa.” Arya said casually.

  
“Wow. So we all got orders and you got your boyfriend to stay over. Where is the justice?” Sansa teased.  
  
    It was Monday morning and the doorbell rung. The three siblings looked at each other.

  
“What day is it?” Arya asked.

  
“Monday.” Sansa replied.

  
“Ohh!” Arya bounded towards the door.

  
“Hey.” Gendry grinned at her, his blue eyes shining in the summer sunlight.

  
Arya stepped aside to let him into the house.

  
“Bran, Rickon, come on!” Sansa yelled up the stairs as they turned back into the house. “I’m taking them to the zoo.”

  
“The zoo?” Arya raised an eyebrow at her sister.

  
“I have to get Bran out of the house.. I don’t know what 8 and 12 year old boys like! The zoo was the best I could come up with. Robb’s going to drop us off.”

  
“Yeah, then I’m going to meet up with some mates, so I probably won’t get back until I pick them up.” Robb added.

  
“Okay, see you guys later. You’d better get me a gift at the zoo!” Arya responded dragging Gendry into the family room.

  
    “Why do I feel like your whole family have cleared out the house for us?” Gendry asked wrapping his arms around Arya and pulling her into his lap.

  
“Strange isn’t it?” She whispered against his lips.

  
Arya slipped her arms around his neck and began to kiss him, from his mouth down his neck and to his collar bone.

  
“Arya.” He groaned.

  
“Hey,” she said lightly rising to her feet, pulling him up after her. “Come with me?”

  
“I’ll follow you anywhere.” he breathed.

  
She smiled at him coyly, and led him out of the room. They paused at the bottom of the stairs, Arya gently pushed him up against the banister and reached up on her tiptoes pressing her mouth hard against his. He rested one hand on the back of her neck, and the second hand travelled down to the small of her back.

  
“Come on.” She grinned pulling him up the stairs.

  
    They made their way into her bedroom, Arya pulled at Gendry’s shirt in an attempt to remove it. Their height difference made it difficult, so he gave her a hand then reached out to remove her own shirt. Arya let Gendry gently push her against the door.

  
“Are you sure?” He almost groaned.

  
“I don’t do anything unless I’m sure.” she said putting a hand on his chest pushing him backwards towards the bed. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared up at her. Arya kicked her shoes off and released the hooks of her bra.

  
“Gendry..” she said quietly, he hadn’t moved or taken his eyes off of her since she’d pushed him to the bed.

  
“Huh, yeah!” he gasped.

  
“Take your shoes off.”

  
“Yeah.. yeah..” he said wide-eyed sitting up to remove his shoes, as Arya shimmied her shorts down. She stood before him just in her pants, she coughed at him.

  
“Shit!” he muttered standing up to remove his trousers and pants in one single movement.

  
“Sorry, I forgot how beautiful you are.”  Gendry added.

  
“Perve.” she teased before throwing herself at him.

  
“Gods Ar,” he grinned kissing her.

  
He began to run his hands down her body, briefly cupping her breasts and running a thumb over each nipple, then down her hips to the waist band of her pants. He slipped a single finger under the band and she wiggled her body. He grasped the fabric of her pants pulling them down her legs.

  
“Gendry.” She murmured wrapping her legs around his waist. He reached his hand down between her legs and began to rub her nub, his lips trailed down her neck, he bit her lightly on the shoulder and her whole body buzzed with adrenaline. She reached for his cock and began to work it.

  
“Shh, wait..” he said lightly placing a kiss on her lips before reaching out for his wallet. He took out a condom, removing it from the foil and placing it on himself.

  
“You’re sure?” He asked again, his face serious.

  
“Fuck me Gendry! I said I’m sure.” She growled.

  
“Okay,” he smiled slyly, “If you’re sure.” And with that he thrust his cock into her, slowly, almost gently, she gasped. The fit was tight, but his touch relaxed her, his lips travelled across her body and she wrapped her legs tight around his hips.

  
“Tell me if you want me to stop.” he said rhythmically thrusting his hips.

  
“It’s good.” She sighed, the discomfort had passed relatively quickly, and was replaced by desire within her. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging at it ever so slightly. A feeling built up within her, she felt Gendry’s body shudder as she went tight around him.

  
“Fuck.” Gendry said rolling onto his back.

  
Arya reached for his hand and squeezed it tight.

  
    “Was that with the wait?” Arya asked after her breath had returned.

  
“I’d wait every day for anything with you.” He responded.

  
“I love you, everything is right with you by my side.” she said turning to kiss his shoulder. 


	28. GENDRY

    “So your mother actually said I could stay here?” Gendry asked Robb later than evening.

  
“So Arya says..” Robb chuckled.

  
Gendry worried at his lip briefly, but Robb’s grin reassured him.

  
Sansa and the boys had returned from the zoo, Sansa wearing a bear ear headband and Rickon had his face painted like a tiger. They’d bought Arya a small grey wolf cuddly toy, and a plastic bull for Gendry.

  
“They didn’t have plush bulls..” Bran said matter of factly handing him the toy.

  
Gendry’s forehead creased at the bull. No one had given him a gift in a long time - besides Arya. And even though this gift was odd, and frankly a child's toy, Gendry’s frown quickly turned to a smile.

  
“Arya keeps calling you a bull..” Bran added whilst Gendry was looking down at the toy.

  
“Do you not like it Gendry?” Rickon almost whispered.

  
“I-“ Gendry gulped, “I love it. No one buys me anything. Thank you so much.”

  
“Gods Gendry who knew you were so soppy.” Gendry turned in the direction of the voice, his grin getting growing ever bigger at seeing the speaker.

  
“Jon!” Gendry sprung to his feet making his way to his old room mate, embracing him briefly.

  
“Hey!” Arya said wrapping her arms around Jon.

  
“Your father told me he was going away.” he had a sheepish look on his face.

  
“He sent you to spy on us?” Robb almost gasped.

  
“Can you really blame him?” Sansa asked.

  
“No.” Gendry was surprised that he was the one to answer.

  
“So what are you guys doing for dinner? I assume there’s some super healthy three course meal being cooked right now?” Jon said.

  
“Oh. Yeah, yeah Sansa had prepared a nice salad, I’ve cooked steak, vegetables and roast potatoes, and you ought to see the soufflé Rickon made for dessert, it’s the pièce de résistance!” Arya said nonchalantly.

  
Gendry frowned, half of what she’d said made no sense.

  
“None of you can cook.. right?” Jon raised an eyebrow.

  
“Not really.” Robb laughed.

  
“That’s not quite right is it?” Sansa added.

  
“What do you mean?” Jon asked.

  
“Sansa.” Arya whined, which caught Gendry’s attention.

  
Gendry looked up at Arya, she was almost squirming in her seat. Sansa was just grinning, like she’d just won the lottery or something.

  
“Arya makes _really_ good cakes.” Sansa said proudly.

  
“No?” Gendry said grinning at Arya. “You made those cakes?”

  
“No.” She whispered looking down at her hands.

  
Gendry raised an eyebrow at her. She just glared at Sansa.

  
“You said the cakes were ‘just left overs’, _you_ made them for _me_?” He asked.

  
“No.” Arya pouted.

  
Gendry stared at her. He couldn’t believe it, this annoying little thing who’d sauntered into his life a few months ago, stating they’d be friends, she'd become his whole world, and yet she still managed to surprise him each day. She acted tough, she acted so undomesticated, and now finds out that she’s been baking cakes for him.

  
“Stop looking at me!” Arya said almost angrily, but her eyes were soft. She swatted him, and he grasped her arms pulling her closer to kiss her.

  
“You’re unbelievable.” He whispered softly into her ear.


	29. ARYA

    “I’m never making you lemon cakes ever again.” Arya growled after pulling Sansa into the kitchen.

  
“Arya,” Sansa was trying to reason with her.

  
“You had no right to tell him that!”

  
“Arya, sorry, I thought you would have told your boyfriend that it was you making cakes. I didn’t realise it was top secret information.”

  
Arya’s shoulders slumped, she knew she was overreacting, and yet it felt like Sansa had given away this massive secret of hers. Arya liked to act tough, she had since she was tiny, she loved playing in rugby, karate, wrestling her brothers in the mud. Anything girlish was abhorrent to her, she hated dresses, dancing and knitting. But baking was something else, baking was her connection to her mother it’s one of the few ways they had actually bonded. It was something Arya didn’t like other people to know. She would have told Gendry one day, obviously. But she’d begun taking him cake back before he’d even really accepted their friendship, so it wasn’t something she’d ever come clean about.

  
“Why are you so angry?” Sansa asked gently.

  
“You wouldn’t-“ Arya sighed. She’d been about to tell her sister she wouldn’t understand, but that wasn’t right.  “I don’t know.” she whispered.

  
“What don’t you know?” Sansa asked, concern on her face.

  
“Anything.” Arya sighed. “I know nothing. I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know what I’ve become.”

  
“Arya?”

  
“I love him. And nothing else seems to matter any more.”

  
“Arya, why..? I-“ Sansa reached down and placed her arms around her shoulder.

  
Normally Arya would have fought this kind of affection, but she allowed Sansa to pull her into her chest, she found herself almost sinking into her sister’s embrace.

 

  
    “You are different.” Sansa said after they’d parted.

  
“I’ve gone soft.” Arya replied softly.

  
“You’ll never be soft.” Sansa chuckled. “You’ll always be part wolf - part ferrel.”

  
Arya smiled at that.

  
“I’m sorry, I over reacted, I’m just feeling all sorts of things that I don’t understand.” Arya bit down on her lower lip.

  
“It’s called growing up.” Sansa replied with a shrug.

  
“Come on, let’s see if the boys have decided on dinner.” Sansa said reaching for her hand.

  
      
    “Hey.” Arya said standing behind the sofa Gendry was sat on, she gently put a hand on his shoulder, and motioned her head to the hallway.

  
Gendry followed her into the hall, a frown was furrowing his brow.

  
“Are you okay?” He said bending so they were face to face.

  
Arya cocked her head.

  
“I’m sorry.” she laid a hand on his cheek.

  
“What? Why?”

  
“I guess I over reacted, or I should have just told you I made the cakes.”

  
“Arya,” his eyes glittered, “I love you because you’re weird, I’m not going to question the choices you make.”

  
She ran her eyes across his face, a sinking warmth settling throughout her body.

  
“What did I do to deserve you?” She whispered reaching up on her toes to kiss him.

  
“What did I do to deserve you?” He echoed back.

  
    “Stop kissing we need to order pizza! Ow!” Rickon said.

  
Arya and Gendry turned to face him in unison, a hand over his eyes, he’d clearly just bumped into a wall.

  
“Rickon, we’re not kissing.” Arya said.

  
“Robb said you were.” Rickon replied, hand still over his eyes.

  
“Don’t listen to Robb.”

  
“Jon agreed.” Rickon finally dropped his hand.

  
“Course he did.” Gendry said.

  
“C’mon Rick.” Arya said taking his hand heading back into the family room with Gendry following them.

 

  
    An hour later the 7 of them were all sat on the floor around the coffee table with four pizza boxes on the table between them. Arya was leaning into Gendry’s body, his arm draped casually around her.

  
“It’s odd, I feel like I’m really with family for the first time in my life.” Jon suddenly said.

  
“You are with family.” Arya said forcefully.

  
“I know,” Jon replied with a sad smile. “It’s just, it’s different for us isn’t it Gen?”

  
“Yeah, at least you have a family though. I have no family, not since me mam died.” Gendry responded.

  
Arya twisted slightly in his arms, looking up at his face, he looked sad. She reached out and took his jaw in her hand, adjusting it so his eyes met hers.

  
“I can be your family.” She said sincerely.

  
He smiled down at her, it was sad, but loaded with feelings, his hand tightened on her hip. She knew he had more to say on the subject, but not here in front of her family.

 

  
    “Oi! You two need to go to bed!” Robb said checking his watch.

  
Arya checked her own, shocked to find it was just past 10pm. A lot had happened today, and time had gotten away from them.

  
“Gods!” Sansa exclaimed. “Come on.” She yanked Rickon to his feet, with Bran trailing behind.

 

  
    “Don’t you think it’s strange how we’re all connected?” Robb asked after Sansa, Bran and Rickon had left the room.

  
“What do you mean?” Jon asked.

  
“You’re our cousin. And somehow you and Gendry end up in the care of one of dad’s old mates. Then Arya meets Gendry, and despite the fact she’s never shown any interest in any guy ever; she falls madly in love with him. And you and Jon are practically brothers.. it’s just all kind of odd.”

  
“Who said I’m madly in love with him?” Arya scowled.

  
“That’s what you took from your brother said?” Jon snorted.

  
Arya shrugged.

  
“Well I’m madly in love with you,” Gendry whispered into her ear, “Even if you’re not madly in love with me.”

  
She turned to look into his eyes, the corner of her lips twitching into a smile.

  
“I am.” She said softly.

  
“Seriously, I’m going to be sick. Do the two of you need a room?” Robb gagged.

  
“Don’t give them ideas!” Jon cringed.

  
“Fuck off.” Arya scowled at the two of them.

  
Robb chuckled deeply, “Think they’ve already had the room.”

  
Arya pulled her trainer off her foot and threw it at Robb, it bounced off his shoulder and onto the floor behind him, just as Sansa was walking back into the room.

  
“What have I missed?” Sansa asked curiously.

  
“We’re debating whether Arya and Gendry need a room, or if they’ve already had the room.” Robb said casually.

  
Arya threw her other shoe at him.

  
“What else are you going to throw?” Robb teased.

  
“Gendry’s shoes are bigger than mine.” Arya growled.

  
Jon coughed. Robb snorted. And Sansa frowned.

  
“Harder too, I’ll bet.” Robb said ducking behind Jon.

  
“Don’t bring me into this!” Jon said ducking out of the way too.

  
“You’re dicks. All of you.” Arya narrowed her eyes.

  
Jon and Robb exchanged a look and burst out laughing.

  
“Arya.” Sansa cautioned.

  
“I think you’re making it worse.” Gendry said softly.

  
“Fuck you.” Arya said to him. “Fuck you all.”

  
“Ar-yuhh..” Robb said stretching her name out, pleading. “Sorry, sorry, we’ll play nice.”

 

  
    “I really do feel comfortable with you all.” Jon said as they were watching a film.

  
“You’re not the one who had a pair of shoes hurled at your head.” Robb muttered.

  
“They bounced off your shoulder in fairness.” Gendry added.

  
“Ooohh.” Robb nudged Jon.

  
“She’s got him whipped, so easy.” Jon nudged back.

  
“Just pointing out the facts.” Gendry retorted defensively.

  
Arya squeezed his hand lightly as a thanks.

  
“He’d do anything for her. I guarantee you.” Jon said warmly. “He’s loyal, and stubborn as a bull. He’d do anything for anyone he cares about.”

  
Gendry shrugged, but squeezed Arya’s hand, she knew this was all true, but it was really nice to hear it from someone else.

  
“You’re a good man Gendry.” Sansa added.

  
Arya hadn’t really expected that. It made her slightly uncomfortable that most of her family only knew anything of her and Gendry due to her attack, it made her sick to think about it. But it made her relationship with Gendry stronger, it had probably even improved her relationship with her family. She guessed that stupid ‘every cloud has a silver lining’ saying may hold some merit.

  
“I’m off to bed.” Sansa announced standing, she kissed the three men on the cheeks before pausing in front of Arya.

  
“I won’t tell if he doesn’t stay on the sofa.” Sansa said softly before kissing Arya on the cheek and leaving.


	30. GENDRY

    “You stayed last night?” Gendry asked Jon as he walked into the kitchen the next morning.

  
“Yeah, on the sofa, where you were suspiciously absent.” Jon teased.

  
Gendry tensed.

  
“Don’t worry man, I’m not here to bust your balls. I’m sure my cousin can do that herself.”

  
“Fuck you man!” Gendry said jokingly.

  
“Help me make breakfast then, seeing as none of these rich kids can cook.” Jon ribbed him.

  
“Marya would have a heart-attack to see the two of us in the kitchen together after the last time!”

  
“Come on, that wasn’t even our fault! We can both cook!”

  
“Yeah,” Gendry winced slightly, “but we were banned from cooking _together_.”

  
The two of them threw themselves into cooking breakfast for everyone, both of them settling into a relaxed mood.

 

  
    “Oh my Gods! Are you making pancakes Gendry Waters?” Arya gasped walking into the kitchen with Sansa.

  
“She might have to marry you now you know.” Sansa laughed.

  
Gendry’s head whipped up from the pan, a look of shock spreading across his face, a look he saw mirrored on Arya’s face. Her face softened when she saw Gendry’s expression, she crossed the kitchen and kissed him.

  
“I love pancakes nearly as much as I love you.” Arya said quietly to him.

  
“I’d make you pancakes every day then.” Gendry responded.

  
“She might grow sick of them then.” Jon pointed out.

  
“So the two of you can actually cook?” Sansa waved a hand between Gendry and Jon.

  
“Yeah, Marya teaches all of us. Chances are we’ll need the skill one day!” Jon responded.

  
“Maybe we should learn.” Sansa frowned at Arya.

  
“Hey, if Gendry can make pancakes, I’m all set.” Arya replied leaning into his chest.

  
“Breakfast is nearly ready, go get the boys down.” Jon told Sansa. “Get the plates out.” he said turning to Arya.

  
Arya looked at him briefly, Gendry thought she was about to argue against the command, but she stepped away from his chest and got the plates out. That might be a first, he thought.   



	31. JON

    “Where’s Gendry?” Arya frowned walking into the kitchen.

  
“I sent him to the supermarket,” Jon said, “with Sansa and the boys.”

  
“I suddenly feel like a deer caught in the headlights.” She quipped cautiously.

  
Jon smiled at her guiltily. He considered her for a few moments, she pulled out a stool at the breakfast bar, sitting she crossed her legs and raised an eyebrow at him.

 

  
    “So your dad told me about.. everything.” Jon said frowning.

  
Arya bit her lower lip, Jon could see she was trying to keep her expression blank, but he could see a look of hurt flash through her eyes.

  
“I know you’re..” Jon paused, “I know you’re not like most girls. You’re different, and I love that. But still, if you wanted to talk to anyone, I want you to know you can talk to me.”  
Arya looked up at him. Jon could see the clear similarities he and his cousin wore. Jon knew there was something special about Arya from the moment they met, before they knew they were related. He saw the way she looked at Gendry, and the way his brother looked back at her, they might not have realised their feelings, but for Jon, it was clear to see. Arya pursed her lips momentarily, he could see thoughts clouding her eyes.

  
“I don’t like to talk about it.” She said quietly. “But..” her voice trailed off.

  
“It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it. I know you have Gendry and your family, I just wanted you to know, you have me too. If you need me.”

  
“Jon,” she frowned, “You are my family. And I.. It’s.. it’s not that I don’t.. that I don’t want to.. to talk..” she was stuttering, and she looked scared.

  
“Arya, don’t talk about it if it’s too much.” He place his hand softly on her upper arm.

  
“No.” she swallowed. “I should.”

  
Jon watched her gasp for breath.

  
“I’ve never been.. good at talking about feelings.” Arya said almost shyly. “Feelings are for.. girls… for soft people. Not for me. But they.. but we all do right?”

  
“Yeah,” Jon gasped, “Yeah, we all feel a lot of things Arya, you’re not alone!”

  
Arya nodded.

  
“It changed you, didn’t it?” He questioned her.

  
“Of course.” She frowned. “Wouldn’t that change anyone? You know - I think it made me both harder and softer. I shut myself off after it happened the first time. It was like someone had put film over my eyes, I could still see the world… but.. there was no light.. I didn’t want to be there.”

“Arya, I’m sorry.” hearing her speak like that hit him right in the gut.

  
“Why?” she looked up at him through her lashes, ever so slightly smiling. Gendry had once told Jon that Arya was the most beautiful girl in the world, he’d said that when she smiled the whole universe lifted from his shoulders, and even in that small, sad smile, Jon understood what Gendry was talking about. Most girls, they smiled to flirt or to jape but Arya’s smiles, they were less common, but they were for the people she loved, and there was something innocent and freeing in that.

  
“It’s not like it had anything to do with you Jon. Everyone says they’re sorry, but it’s no ones fault that I was…” she gritted her teeth. “That I was… I was..” she scrunched her face up in frustration.

  
“Arya.” Jon said softly.

  
“I was nearly raped.” she said painfully.

 

  
    “That’s the first time you’ve said it, isn’t it?” Jon asked quietly.

  
She nodded slightly.

  
“The first time.. it all but destroyed me. But my family.. I kept going for their sakes. But the second time, I think.. and if.. if they had.. if I didn’t have Gendry.. I don’t think.. I..” Her words were coming fast, but none of her sentences were whole.

  
“Here,” Jon said passing Arya a glass of water, “Drink, and breathe.”

  
She did as he said. Jon waited letting her catch her breath.

  
“I, I honestly don’t think I’d be here right now without Gendry.” Arya said eventually.

  
“He’s a good guy.” Jon added.

  
“He’s the best.” Arya agreed. “After the first time, I didn’t talk to anyone unless I had to, I avoided most things. I spent months, just.. existing. Then we moved to Kings Landing, and I was away from them. I tried to make an effort, I tried to make friends with the girls on my rugby team, but they were all bitchy. Eventually I gave up trying, I just existed for the sake of my family. Then..” a small smile was building on her face, “Then I saw Gendry. The moment I saw him, sat against that tree, something in me clicked and for the first time in months, I felt something more than merely needing to exist. I wanted to exist in that moment, I wanted to live.. I wanted to know him.”

  
That hit Jon’s heart. Almost stronger than the hit to his gut he’d felt when she said she hadn’t wanted to be here.

  
“Gendry was always a grumpy git, until he met you. Shared a room with him for 2 years, he is stubborn and scowls too often. But he’s also a sweet guy, he cares deeper than most people I know, he just doesn’t show it too often.” Jon paused. “The two of you actually have a lot in common.”

  
“Gods help our kids then!” Arya joked.

  
Jon’s head snapped to her face at that, and her eyes went wide.

  
“Shit, forget I said that.” She scowled.

  
“Shh, you love him.” Jon laughed. “Love makes fools of us all.”

“Ugh, it’s disgusting!” She groaned.

 

  
    Jon almost didn’t want to bring the conversation back to her attacks after seeing her joking and softening. But he knew it would probably be good for both of them if he did.

  
“Gendry saved you then?” Jon pressed.

  
“Gendry has saved me on so many levels. He’s my only friend-“ She began, Jon opened his mouth to tell her he was her friend, “That I’m not related to. He.. He healed me, I trusted him instantly, and although I still didn’t trust other people I trusted him, and that was enough for me. I relaxed with him, I began to enjoy things again, I began to love.” She frowned, “I didn’t think I was capable of loving anyone, and I certainly never thought anyone could love me.”

  
“Arya,” he frowned. “I hate that you think that. You’re.. there aren’t actually words for what you are really. You’re this tough, sarcastic, feisty, funny, witty, amazing little woman, I’m so glad that I found you, cousin.”

  
Jon watched as her face flickered through emotions.

  
“You’re not all that bad yourself, and I’m not that small compared to you!” She raised an eyebrow.

  
“You’re still tiny.” he teased. “How does Gendry not stand on you?”

  
Arya dug her elbow into his ribs and the two of them laughed, Jon wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight to his chest.

  
“I’m always here for you y'know.” He said into her hair.

  
  
    “ARYA!” Rickon called out, “Gendry said you gotta make us cake today!”

  
Rickon ran into the kitchen, chocolate streaked across his face, Bran and Sansa followed, then Robb and Gendry came in carrying 5 bags between them.

  
"Gods! Did you buy the whole grocery store?” Arya asked.

  
“Jon gave us a list.” Robb stated putting the bags on the counter.

  
“ARYA! ARYA!” Rickon was bouncing up and down.

  
“How much chocolate has he had?” Jon frowned at Sansa.

  
“It was only one bar.” She replied.

  
“Two.” Bran murmured.

  
Jon noted Sansa cock her head in Brans direction, the quiet boy shrugged slightly.

  
“I gave him mine too.” Robb scratched his head. “So three bars?”

  
“He had some of mine too.” Gendry added.

  
“What the hell guys! He’s tiny, and he’s just consumed three and a half bars of chocolate!” Jon exclaimed.

  
“Good job he’s not a dog.” Arya said softly.

  
“What?” Jon turned to her brow furrowed.

  
“Dogs.. they can’t eat chocolate.” Arya rolled her eyes at him, like that was common knowledge.

  
“Arrrr-yuuuhhhhh!” Rickon whined again.

  
Arya bent to face her youngest brother, Rickon was the only one shorter than her, so the sight was still a bit odd. She lightly took his chin in her hands and looked at him.

  
“What?” She said soft and wide eyed.

  
“Gendry said you should make cake.” Rickon said calmer this time.

  
“Why?” She asked him.

  
“Well Robb said that cake can be better than sex or something, and Gendry likes both-“

  
“THE HELL!” Arya yelled spinning to face Robb and Gendry. “He’s EIGHT. EIGHT!”

  
Gendry was holding his hands up, he almost looked scared, Robb on the other hand was bent over in laughter.

  
“I never.. I would never.. I didn’t..” Gendry stuttered.

  
Arya nodded at him.

  
“You’re not getting cake.” Arya said prodding a finger at Robb's chest.

 

  
  
    The five Stark siblings left Jon and Gendry alone to make lunch, Arya had eventually agreed that she would bake a cake later. But she was also still insisting that Robb was not having a single bite.

 

  
    “Hope Arya wasn’t too annoying earlier.” Gendry mock winced.

  
“She’s never going to be too annoying for me.” Jon smiled.

  
“I’ve learned to not say _‘never’_ when it comes to Arya.”

  
“You might be on to something!”

  
    The two of them prepared the food in silence for a few moments.

  
“She spoke about her attacks.” Jon said breaking the silence.

  
“She did?” Gendry looked up at him. “She doesn’t talk about it often. I think she finds it hard to form the words she feels.”

  
Jon nodded sadly.

  
“Was she.. okay?” Gendry asked, his blue eyes full of worry.

  
“She.. I think it was difficult for her to share it. Has she ever talked to you about suicide or anything like that? She seemed to almost hint that without you she might have considered it.. or if they’d actually raped her.”

  
Gendry worried at his bottom lip. Jon studied his face.

  
“Look, it’s not my place to discuss how she feels. That’s for Arya and only Arya. But don’t worry about her too much, she’s.. I think she’s in a far better place right now. And I will do anything and everything I can to help her.” Gendry said solemnly.

  
“Me too.” Jon added clapping him on the shoulder.


	32. ARYA

    “What cake are you going to make?” Sansa asked after lunch. “I bought some lemons, just in case.”

  
“I’m not making you bloody lemon cake!” Arya snapped.

  
“Pft, what are you making then?”

  
Arya shrugged surveying the ingredients they’d bought at the supermarket earlier that day. She’d settled on the cake she would make and began to gather the ingredients she would need.

  
“Gendry!” Sansa yelled into the family room.

  
Gendry, Jon and Robb walked into the kitchen where Arya was grabbing mixing bowls and Sansa was perched on a counter.

  
“Make your girlfriend tell me what cake she’s making.” Sansa demanded.

  
“You think she’ll listen to me?” He snorted.

  
“Does she listen to anyone?” Jon added.

  
“I’m fucking listening to you all now, you’re doing my head in.” Arya said with her head in a cupboard.

  
“What’s your favourite cake Gendry?” Sansa asked curiously.

  
“Um..” Gendry rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “I don’t eat much cake, but probably the first one Arya gave me.. that Arya made me I guess..”

  
Arya was watching him, he was adorable when he was nervous.

  
“And that would be what cake..?” Sansa pressed.

  
“White chocolate mud cake.” Arya replied flatly.

  
“Figures.” Robb laughed.

  
“What?” Gendry asked nervously.

  
“It’s Arya’s favourite too.” Sansa answered.

  
“Want to help me?” Arya asked giving Gendry a small smile.

  
“Sure.” He smiled back.

  
“Rest of you, piss off, or I’m not sharing my cake.” Arya said turning back to her ingredients.

  
  
    “Mm, iss’ really gooed cake.” Gendry said around his third slice as they laid on top of Arya’s bed that evening. Gendry was propped up on a pillow but Arya was flat on her back, staring up at him.

  
“What?” He mumbled.

  
“Nothing, just.. thinking about how you save me each and every day.” she almost whispered.

  
“Hey,” Gendry said softly. “Jon asked earlier if you’d ever talked about suicide or anything like that before earlier.”

  
Arya pushed herself up on one elbow.

  
“Gendry,” she said softly, nervously.

  
“I told him it was your business, I told him it’s not my place to discuss your feelings. But I wanted you to know.” He said hurriedly. He’d finished his cake now and placed the plate on the bedside table.

  
“Gendry,” Arya whispered sitting up to bring herself level with him, she met his eyes and turned her arms over. “I have you now, never again.”

  
Gendry ran his hands down her forearms, softly caressing the small scars still visible if you knew they were there.

  
“I’m yours, forever and always, I’ll help you with any problems.. okay?” he brought his lips to her arms, beginning to kiss every scar he could see. "Just talk to me."

  
“Always.” she sighed.


	33. GENDRY

    The next few weeks passed well. Gendry and Arya worked together, they hung out every evening and Monday’s and Tuesday’s were theirs. Arya’s parents even still let him stay at the house. Although, the sofa was definitely his bed.

  
  
    “So, Gendry.” Jon walked into his bedroom. “Oh, boys, do you mind? I need to talk to Gendry alone.”

  
Gendry looked at the three other boys he shared a room with, he felt uncomfortable that they were being made to leave the room, and also uncomfortable about the tone Jon had taken.

  
“Now Gendry,” Jon perched on the end of his bed once the boys had left.

  
Gendry was leaning back against his pillows, with one leg tucked up and the other extended down the bed. He narrowed his eyes at Jon.

  
“Gendry, you’re seeing my little cousin.” Jon began.

  
“Shit! I hadn’t realised..” Gendry replied sarcastically.

  
“Look, there’s three options here Gendry. Well two actually, because I’ve eliminated your hard option-“

  
“Jon, the fuck are you talking about? You’re acting weird!”

  
“Hush. I can do this the hard way, or you can keep quiet and we’ll do it the easy way.”

  
Gendry just stared at him.

  
“Okay?” Jon asked.

  
Gendry just continued to stare at him.

  
“Gendry, okay?”

  
“You told me to shut up!”

  
“Well.. yeah but obviously you can answer my questions.”

  
“Okay. Go.”

 

  
    “Okay, well my aunt needs you to understand how special Arya is. She needs you to make sure you’re.. looking after her right and all, you know?” Jon begun.

  
“Wait.” Gendry snorted. “Jon, are _you_ trying to give me the sex talk?”

  
“Well..”

  
“Jon.” Gendry laughed, “Firstly, you and I got this talk from Davos years ago, together. Secondly, you’re a fucking virgin.”

  
“Gendry, semantics.”

  
“No. No mate, come on, why are you doing this?”

  
“I heard Catelyn talking to Ned, I think she was going to get him to talk to you. And you know how you always tease me about my brooding? Guess which family member I get that from.”

  
Gendry rubbed the back of his neck, he gasped slightly.

  
“Okay. Why.. all the sudden? Like why not months ago when Arya and I began dating?” Gendry frowned.

 

  
    Jon scowled. Gendry could see the older boy considering what he was about to say.

  
“Well, you remember when my aunt and uncle were away, you remember that week, right?” Jon asked.

  
Gendry grinned slightly, of course he remembered that week. It was when he and Arya slept together for the first time, it was when he found out that Arya had been baking cakes for him before they started dating, it was the week he felt all the Starks had really accepted him into their lives.

  
“Yes, I remember.” Gendry said.

  
“Do you remember the part where Rickon said that Robb said you liked Arya’s cake as much as sex?” Jon asked.

  
“I never even said that! Gods!” Gendry cringed at the memory.

  
“Yeah, well.. he kind of repeated that to his mother. But it was more, Gendry loves cake as much as sex with Arya..”

  
“Fuck. I’m dead.” Gendry brought his knees up to his chest.


	34. ARYA

    “Arya, I need to talk to you.” Her mother entered her bedroom.

  
Arya was propped up on her pillows reading a book, she set the book down and peered up at her mother, she looked serious.

  
“Okay.” Arya said half nervously, moving to sit up fully.

  
“Look, I know I gave you and Sansa the talk years ago. But you weren’t really paying attention back then, were you? I just want to make sure you’re being safe.”

  
“Gods.” Arya cringed slightly.

  
“I’ve.. the whole family support your relationship Arya, but I need to make sure you’re safe.”

  
“Mum, I’m covered.” Arya almost whispered.

  
“And Gendry? It’s not like he has a father.”

  
“Well I’m sure he does somewhere.” Arya rolled her eyes. “We’re good. I promise.” Arya insisted.

  
Arya watched her mother study her.

  
“You’ve matured a lot in the past two years you know?” her mother asked.

  
“I’m nearly 17 mum.” Arya raised an eyebrow. “Any ways, Gendry and I have been together for months, why now?”

 

  
    “Arya,” her mother sighed. “I’m not an idiot.”

“I know.” Arya replied.

  
“I know Gendry didn’t sleep on the sofa when your father and I were away.”

  
“Sansa.” Arya pursed her lips.

  
“No, it wasn’t your sister. It was.. something Rickon said actually.”

  
“What?”

  
“Rickon was talking about how he likes hanging out with Gendry. And he said Gendry likes cake too. But he also said that Robb said, ‘ _Gendry loves cake as much as sex with Arya_ ’.”

  
“What?” Arya choked. “Fuck, that gets worse every time it’s told.”

  
“Arya! Language.” Her mother scolded. “What do you mean it gets worse every time?”

  
“Gendry went shopping with Sansa and the boys, Jon and I stayed here. When they came back, Rickon was high on chocolate, somehow he’d swindled everyone's chocolate as well as having his own bar, and he said ‘ _Robb said that cake can be better than sex or something, and Gendry likes both_ ’.” Arya peered up at her mother. “Gendry never said anything along those lines, it was all Robb.”

  
“Sounds like Robb.” her mother shook her head.

 

  
    “Arya, just be safe, no matter what. I know you love him, but love can make us all do stupid things.” Her mother said after a few moments.

  
“We are.” Arya said defiantly.

  
Her mother considered her for a few moments, then stood to leave.

  
“Mum? Dad’s not gonna..” Arya cringed.

  
“No, Jon somehow overheard and offered to talk to Gendry.”

  
“Oh.” Arya frowned. 


	35. GENDRY

    “Arya.” Gendry frowned as she arrived at the auto-shop the next morning.

  
“How did your sex talk go?” Arya teased.

  
“Oh, super.” Gendry said sarcastically, “Did you get one too?”

  
“Yup.” Arya rolled her eyes. “My mother.”

  
“Well, at least you got the talk from someone who’s had sex.”

  
“Fuck Gendry, not an image I want!!” Arya squeezed her eyes shut tightly, then they sprang back open, “Wait! Jon’s a virgin?”

  
Gendry awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, he probably shouldn’t have said that, it wasn’t his place to be saying things like that.

  
“Wow.” Arya laughed lightly.

  
“Don’t tell him I said that.” Gendry near pleaded.

  
Arya narrowed her slate grey eyes briefly, before nodding in agreement.

  
“Come on, we’d better get working.” Gendry said.

  
  
    “How bad would it be if I killed your brother?” Gendry asked later that day as they were having lunch.

  
“Well, I think it depends on which one. Because Bran and Rickon are just children..” Arya answered, almost diplomatically.

  
“So, killing Robb _is_ still on the table?” Gendry questioned.

  
“Only if I get to help.”

  
“Glad we’re on the same page.” he chuckled leaning across to kiss her.

  
“Maybe we ought to just run away.” Arya joked with a twinkle forming in her eye.

  
“Yeah maybe.” He grinned back.

 

  
    “Arya, are you okay?” He’d noticed the twinkle in her eye dim and fade to a flat almost sad look whilst they were eating.

  
“Just.. thinking.” She considered.

  
“About?”

  
“School. Going back.” She started to play with a loose thread on the cuff of her shorts.

  
“They won’t be there. They can’t hurt you.” Gendry said taking her hands into his own.

  
Arya peered up into his eyes, her grey eyes almost looked enlarged, he could see her fear and worry in them.

  
“I know, but… it’s.. it’s there. Where it happened. I have to go back.. again.. everyone will know what happened this time. Everyone will be talking.. I..” the words were clearly choking her.

  
“Have you spoke to your parents?” Gendry frowned, “Maybe you could go to a different school?”

  
Arya looked to the ground and just shook her head.

  
Gendry lightly tipped her chin back up to meet his eyes, he studied her briefly.

  
“It wouldn’t matter. I’ll be okay. I’m just worrying is all.” she replied quietly.

  
Gendry pulled her into his chest tightly, holding her there kissing the top of her head, he didn’t ever want to let her go. He hadn’t admitted it, but he was fearful of her going back to school also.


	36. ARYA

    “Come on Ar, most of our days off we just hang out at yours, and I love it, but maybe we should go out out like?” Gendry said one Sunday afternoon as they were finishing up work.

  
“Maybe. To do what?” Arya frowned slightly.

  
“Um, I actually didn’t think that far..” Gendry winced.

  
“Helpful Gendry.”

  
“We could go to the park, have a picnic?”

  
“Have you ever been on a picnic before?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

  
“No.” He frowned.

  
“Okay, we’ll go on a picnic.”

  
Arya couldn’t help but smile to herself, she hadn’t been on a picnic since she was a child back in The North, picnics were always family things, Arya would get bored easily, until Robb and her dad would suddenly fish out a football or rugby ball to entertain her. But a picnic with Gendry would be _something else_.

  
  
    On the Monday morning her mum took her shopping for food for her picnic with Gendry.

  
“So we’re looking for stuff you don’t have to cook right?” her mum asked pushing a small shopping trolley into the supermarket.

  
“Obviously.” Arya replied, “And stuff for white chocolate mud cake.”

  
“Okay. You know, maybe you should try to learn to cook Arya?” He mum asked.

  
Arya just shrugged. It was actually something she’d been thinking about, but for some reason it wasn’t something she wanted to ask her mum for help with. She’d been considering asking Marya or Jon to help her.

  
  
    Arya had just finished packing the food she had prepared into an old picnic basket her mum had found in the pantry when the doorbell went later that day.

  
“Hi Gendry, come on she’s in the kitchen.” Arya heard her mother say.

  
“Is that safe?” Gendry quipped back.

  
Arya heard her mum laugh, the sound made Arya smile slightly.

 

  
    “Hey.” Arya said when Gendry walked into the kitchen with a blanket tucked under his arm and a backpack on his back.

  
“Hi.” He grinned walking over to her, leaning down to kiss her.

  
Arya watched him briefly glance around the kitchen. She narrowed her eyes at him.

  
“The kitchen looks like it’s in one piece.. guess you didn’t cook anything then?” He winked at her.

  
“You are a cock.” She said lightly shoving him backwards.

  
He reached out to grab her hand and smiled at her anyway.

  
“C’mon.” he said pulling her arm, allowing her pause to grab her basket. “Bye Cat!” he called back over his shoulder with a grin.

"She said I could call her Cat." Gendry whispered to Arya.

  
  
    They walked to the park hand in hand mostly in silence, Gendry had grabbed the picnic basket off Arya, she’d challenged him on this, he relented in so far as allowing her to carry the blanket he had tucked under his arm. She rolled her eyes at this, but decided not to argue.

  
  
    “Here?” Gendry asked pausing in the field.

  
Arya surveyed the area they’d stopped.

  
“Sure, looks good.” She let go of his hand and spread the blanket out on the floor. Arya began to unpack her basket and Gendry pulled drinks out of his bag. Then handed her a plastic container.

  
“I said I’d bring the food.” She scowled at him, but was already pulling the lid off.

  
“Yeah, but I know they’re your favourite.” he replied.

  
He was right, she’d opened the container to find a tub of fluffy pancakes in one compartment and a mixture of raspberries, strawberries and blueberries in another compartment.

She peered up at him, he had a goofy satisfied grin on his face. She grinned back at him, then reached over to kiss him.

  
“Sorry they’re cold.” he added once she’d pulled away.

  
Arya watched Gendry’s eyes flicker over all the food in front of them.

  
“Wow,” he said “Are we feeding the whole town?”

  
“There’s not that much!” She stuck her tongue out at him. “You can take the left overs home with you. Like you said, I didn’t cook any of it, so no one’s getting poisoned.”

  
“Hm.” Gendry murmured, almost thoughtfully eyeing one particular container. “Thought you didn’t cook anything?”

  
“Baking isn’t cooking.” She stated.

  
“Hate to break it to you Arya, baking technically _is_ cooking.”


	37. GENDRY

    “We didn’t even eat half the food!” Gendry pointed out as they loaded the tubs back into Arya’s basket.

  
“Yeah, but don’t think I didn’t notice you slip that whole cake into your backpack, you sly bull.” She stuck her tongue out at him. _Gods, she was so hot when she did that_ he thought.

Arya was kneeling as she put the tubs into the basket, Gendry was still sitting, but took this opportunity to pull her down into his lap.

  
“Oi!” She squealed digging her elbows into his side.

  
Gendry proceeded to tickle her, she squirmed and giggled in his grasp.

  
“How’s this fair.” She gasped.

  
“Who said anything was fair?” He laughed pulling her face up to his so they were eye to eye. He looked into her eyes, her expression was soft and full of love. The worry that had been in them days ago when she spoke about school had completely vanished, now her grey eyes just shined with love for him. Was there anything sweeter than looking into the eyes of the person you love, and seeing that love shining back at you? Gendry thought not. He lent in an extra inch and kissed her. Arya settled her position so that she was sat fully in his lap, Gendry loved that she was small enough to do that. But also hated that they were currently in a very public place.

  
“Um, Gendry!” Arya gasped in mock shock feeling him below her legs.

  
“Gods Ar, I can’t help it.” He groaned.

  
“You wanna go back to mine?” She grinned sheepishly.

  
“Ain’t your mum there?”

  
Arya peered at her watch thoughtfully.

  
“Not by time we get there, she’s taking Bran to the orthodontist in 15 minutes.”

  
“Arya Stark!” he gasped mockingly grinning at her.

  
Arya continued to sit on his lap until he cleared his throat.

  
“You might need to get off of my cock and give me a few moments.” He laughed.

  
Arya pouted but stood up.

  
  
    “Come on, I bet you would be amazing at rugby!” Arya joked spinning away from him as they made their way back through the park.

  
“Seems like a posh boys game to me.” Gendry grunted.

  
“It is here in King’s Landing, not back in The North, it’s our game back there. Everyone plays it. Traditionally it’s because all our men were big and strong from working in the mines, and I mean,” she ran her eyes down the length of his body, “Look at you Waters, big _and_ strong.”

  
Gendry shook his head at her laughing. Gods, she always made him laugh. Jon had said to him the other day that he always scowled before he met Arya, now he spends most of his time either laughing, smiling or making what Jon called ‘heart eyes’ at Arya. Robb had also said something similar about Arya. Robb had said since Arya had been with him she’d been the girl she used to be when they used to wrestle in the mud, play football or go swimming in the streams when she was a child. Robb told Gendry that the life had seemed to have drained from his favourite sister in the past two and a half years, but Gendry had reinstated it and then some. Gendry loved the idea of this. He’d never admit it to anyone, but the fact that he and Arya had completely made one another’s lives better was the best thing he could imagine. Gendry felt they had completed each other.

  
“What?” Arya narrowed her eyes at him after he hadn’t responded.

  
“Nothing, just thinking.” He muttered.

  
“About?” She pressed.

  
“You. Us. Just.. I love you.”

  
Arya snorted but reached up to kiss him.

  
“I love you too, you stupid bull.” She chuckled.

 

  
    “Look what we have here.” A voice snarled from behind them. Arya and Gendry both snapped around into the direction of the voice. There were six boys there, all of them around Arya or Gendry’s age. Two of them Gendry recognised. Immediately he grasped Arya’s hand and positioned himself in front of her. Gendry stared at the boys but said nothing.

  
“Aw. Isn’t it cute. The brute is tryin’ to protect the little girl.” One of the boys Gendry didn’t recognise sneered.

  
Arya gripped Gendry’s hand tightly. The boys stared them down, Gendry was about to turn and pull Arya after him..

  
“Been kicked outta school we have. But our friends will still be there.” the boy Gendry recognised as Garth spat.

  
“You thugs should be in prison, not just kicked out of school.” Gendry spat back.

  
“Gen.” Arya whispered quietly.

  
Gendry squeezed her hand lightly.

  
“Awh, hi Arya.” the other boy who’d attacked Gendry said mockingly, “Hardly saw you there behind this mountain. Think that’s gonna stop us?”

  
“Fuck you.” Arya growled stepping to Gendry’s side.

  
“Always did have balls.” One of the other boys chuckled.

  
“I’ll have all your fucking balls in a minute.” She snapped.

  
The boys just chuckled back at her. Except Garth.

  
“We’re on bail because of you bitch.” Garth raged at Arya.

  
“Because of her?” Gendry snapped, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You were the ones who tried to rape her! You shouldn’t even be on bail, they should have gelded you, locked you away and thrown away the key!”

  
“Don’t worry,” Garth begun, taking a step towards Arya.

  
Arya completely froze, her expression had been annoyed but slightly fierce moments earlier, but the closer he moved towards her the more scared and small she looked.

  
“None of us will touch you now, expect you’ve been spoiled by now.” Garth continued glancing towards Gendry.

  
Gendry noticed Arya peer up at him, he realised they were saying this to goad him. He gritted his teeth for a moment. Looking back to Arya he could see the pure terror on her face, minutes earlier she’d been so happy, and now it was all gone, all the development over the past few months had been swept under the carpet in that one moment.

  
Gendry stepped forward, his jaw set and his hands balled up by his sides.

  
“Come near her again, and I won’t restrain myself.” He said almost calmly.

  
The boys all peered at one another, then quickly at Arya and Gendry but they didn’t say another word.

 

  
    “Come on.” Arya whispered grabbing Gendry’s hand again pulling him away from them.

  
Gendry followed her lead, but ground his teeth as he could hear the boys chuckling and saying Arya’s name.

  
“It’s fucking wrong.” he said quietly. “They should be locked away. They shouldn’t be allowed near you!”

  
“They’re probably not meant to be anywhere near me.” she replied. “And yet they were. As usual the system is fucked.”

  
Gendry looked down at her, an odd look was set on her face.


	38. ARYA

“Run away with me..” Arya said.

“What?” Gendry frowned.

“I can’t do it..” she sat down on the edge of her bed and allowed her head to fall into her hands. She felt Gendry kneel on the floor in front of her. He lightly prised her hands away from her face, she could feel tears beginning to sting her eyes.

“Arya?” He said lightly staring into her eyes.

“I can’t..” she shook her head. “I can’t stay! I can’t just.. they’re.. fuck, they could come up to me at any time.. they..” She ground her jaw momentarily. “I didn’t even know they had bail.”

“Me either.” Gendry shook his head, he stood and carefully sat on the bed next to her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. She could feel her body starting to shake in Gendry’s embrace.

“Arya, lay down.” He said softly.

 

“I meant it Gendry.” She said into his chest a bit later.

“About running away?” He asked.

“Yeah.” she breathed. 

She peered up at him, she could see him considering it.

“How?” he asked.

“I.. I’ve got savings. How soon could you become a qualified mechanic?”

“I’m basically there. Davos just would have waited for me to turn 18 to make it official.”

“Could he do it sooner?”

“Yeah, I guess. I guess I could ask him. It might still take a week or so though.”

“But you’ll run away with me?” She asked again.

“I’m 18 next month Ar, we could.. ah.” 

She’d seen him calculate the fact that she’d be back in school before he turned 18. 

“Okay. I’ll talk to him tonight.” Gendry said.

“Don’t.. don’t tell him why though. Don’t even mention we saw them today. Okay?” Arya pleaded. 

Gendry nodded slightly. 

“Some days I think you’re the only reason I’m still alive.” Arya said solemnly.


	39. GENDRY

    That evening Gendry returned home and asked Davos if he could finish up his apprenticeship. Davos agreed, he never even asked what the rush was, just told him it would take around a week to get things in order. Gendry had already actually completed the apprenticeship in all but name.

  
  
    “Sorted, Davos is doing the paperwork.” Gendry told Arya the next day when he went around hers.

  
“You sure about this?” She asked him.

  
“Are you?”

  
“Yes.”

  
“Then so am I.” He took her hands in his, “Wherever you go, I go.”

  
“Okay.” She responded gently.

  
“Okay.” He echoed kissing her.

 

  
    They’d been lounging on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.

  
“Do you have a plan?” Gendry asked turning his head to face her.

  
“Not really. I just.. I can’t stay here, knowing they’re here, walking around.” She replied quietly.

  
Gendry nodded, he understood. He reached out to cup her cheek in his hand and stroked it gently with the side of his thumb.

  
“I’d do anything for you girl.” He breathed softly.

  
“I know.” She smiled softly. “I’d do anything for you too.”

  
“It’s not like I’m the one leaving a family behind, it’s going to be harder for you, you know that, right?” Gendry asked.

  
“I know. But if I stay.. I won’t survive.” She replied.


	40. ARYA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so seems people are unhappy with the handwritten letters, so I'm still going to do it, but if you want to ignore them, scroll to the bottom of the page, and below the line will be the typed version. I just wish there was a way to set different fonts, the reason I did the hand writing was to distinguish between the 2 writers and the text itself. Hope you all enjoy that more.. thanks for the feed back!

 

    Arya folded the letter up and placed it in an envelope addressing it to her parents and adding a stamp, it was Sunday evening. She and Gendry planned to leave the next morning, it would give them a good 12 hour head start before anyone even started to realise they were missing.

  
    She stood up from the bed and grabbed two backpacks from the bottom of her wardrobe. She started to pack her clothes, a couple of books and a photo album. She needed to sneak into her dad’s office once everyone had gone to bed to get her passport and any other documents of hers from his safe. She returned to her bed to write more letters.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

_Mum and Dad,_   
  
_I love you all, I really do, and I hate that I’m doing this to you. Please trust me that I really do hate what I’m going to put you through. But I had to leave. If I stayed.. I think either Gendry or I would end up doing something that we’d regret._   
  
_The boys who attacked me the second time, they got bail. They came up to us last week. I can’t go back to school. They’ve been kicked out of school.. but their friends will still be there. People will still talk about what happened to me. I can’t.. the thought of it is killing me. I can’t do that. I hate people talking about me at the best of times… and when they’re talking about me like this… I can’t do it. I can’t._   
  
_We’ll be okay. I promise we’ll be fine, we have each other. And please, do not blame Gendry, because he’s coming for my sake. He knows I’d probably go without him. Maybe. But, please know we will be okay._   
  
_I’m not telling you where we’re going, please don’t try and find us. I will write to you so you know that I’m okay, but I can’t tell you where I will be. I need to do this._   
  
_I’m so sorry. I love you._   
  
_Arya._   
  


* * *

  
    Arya folded the letter up and placed it in an envelope addressing it to her parents and adding a stamp, it was Sunday evening. She and Gendry planned to leave the next morning, it would give them a good 12 hour head start before anyone even started to realise they were missing.

  
    She stood up from the bed and grabbed two backpacks from the bottom of her wardrobe. She started to pack her clothes, a couple of books and a photo album. She needed to sneak into her dad’s office once everyone had gone to bed to get her passport and any other documents of hers from his safe. She returned to her bed to write more letters.  
  


* * *

  
_Robb,_   
  
_Please make sure mum and dad know that I love them. Make sure they know that they were the best parents I could have had. Please look after them, and Sansa, Bran and Rickon. I love you all. I’m sorry that I had to leave. But I did._   
  
_You were the best big brother I could have asked for. You’re a bit of a snob and all, but you’re funny and kind. You always played with me when I was a kid. Especially when Sansa was being a bitch to me. I always felt special when my big brother would take me out for the day. Do you remember that time when I was 8? You packed us a picnic and we went out for the day, we walked for miles all the way the White Rock River! We went swimming and I caught a fish, then you freaked out about killing it, so I released it back in the river. I still don’t know how you convinced mum and dad to let us go that day, but until I met Gendry, that was the best day of my life._   
  
_I always felt proud to know you were my big brother._   
  
_I love you and I will miss you. Please don’t look for me. I will write._   
  
_Arya._   
  


* * *

  
_Sansa,_   
  
_I know we’ve never been that close. Although, I’ve felt a lot closer to you in the past few months than ever before in my life. But I love you Sans, even though we are so different you’re still my big sister and I know for all you teased me and chided me, I know that you love me. And I love you. I feel like a right soppy fucker writing these letters, future me will probably need to come back and kill me or something. Anyways, I wish we had more time together where I actually understood you. Because I never did before. You were always obsessed with the idea of romance and chivalry, you loved all those stories of the knights saving the damsel in distress, whereas I always wanted the damsel to just snap out of it and kick arse herself. I always saw you as the damsel in distress you know, I thought you’d tie yourself down and get stuck with some guy….. but you’re.. you’re successful, you’re at uni, and I know you’re always seeing a different guy every few months, but you’re your own woman. I’m proud of you._   
  
_I had to leave. Okay? Please don’t hate me. I hate myself enough. Please, please look after mum and dad. I asked Robb this too…. but that was more just because he’s the oldest, I’m asking you because I know you’ll do it. Tell dad I love him every day._   
  
_Keep being yourself, be fierce and independent, one day you’re going to rule the world. Or someones world anyways._   
  
_Arya._

* * *

  
  
_Bran,_   
  
_You’re a weird kid Brandon Stark. I don’t know how, but I know you’ll be the first to notice that I’ve gone._   
  
_I remember the day you were born Bran, I was so relieved to not be the baby anymore. And for this I loved you so much. I spent the first month of your life not leaving you. I used to watch you sleep, I’d pull faces at you trying to make you laugh when you were awake. Sansa and Robb used to tease me about it all the time. Don’t tell them, but you are and always have been my favourite sibling. Mostly because you know when to shut up, you don’t ask questions, Robb and Sansa pry all the time, you, you know that I’ll tell you if I want to._   
  
_I’m sorry that I won’t be here to see you turn into a teenager. I hope you don’t get too much shit at school. You will though, you know I’m not going to lie to you, not ever. Kids are mean Bran, and you are a sweet and sensitive boy. But one day, you’ll meet s0me people and everything will click into place, suddenly you won’t be an outcast, you’ll have a pack, like I have with Gendry. Oh, and I’m not meaning anything romantic, it could just be a friendship or whatever, but trust me, you’re going to make some people really happy. You are an awesome kid Bran._   
  
_I’m going to miss you so much. I love you little brother._   
  
_Arya._   
  


* * *

  
_Rickon,_   
  
_Hey baby brother. I’m sorry I had to leave you without saying goodbye. I don’t think you’re going to understand why I had to leave, and I don’t want you to have to understand, but maybe one day you will. Okay? I love you, we all do. I’m going to miss that cheeky little smile of yours and those wild curls on your head. Be good to Bran, he’s not like you! Everyone likes you, you’re a little clown, Bran is more like me, just not as tough._   
  
_Be good for mummy and daddy Ricky, and know that I love you, now and forever. I will see you again one day, maybe you’ll still be a kid? Maybe you’ll be a man grown? I don’t know. But I’ll see you one day little one :)_   
  
_Love always,_   
  
_Arya._   
  


* * *

  
_Jon,_   
  
_I hate that I didn’t get to grow up with you. You should have been here with us. The system is fucked. It failed you and Gendry, and now a different part of the system is failing me. Which is why I have to leave._   
  
_I regret that we had such little time together. But I’m thankful that you and Gendry had each other._   
  
_I love you Jon. One day you’re going to make such a difference in this world, and I can not wait, maybe that will be a world that I’ll be happy to live in._   
  
_I explained in my parents letter why I had to leave, I never told Robb and Sansa, and obviously not the boys. But, basically, the boys who attacked me, they’re out on bail. They’ve been kicked out of school, but basically implied a threat of their friends will be watching me and whatnot. They’re mad. They feel wronged. What a fucking joke. I can’t take it. If I stay, me or Gendry are going to end up decking them… then we’ll probably end up in prison! So I guess running away is my best option. Gendry would do anything for me, so of course he agreed when I asked. I love him. I really love him, without him, I don’t think I’d be alive. And I know you asked him about this before… I don’t think I would ever have killed myself, but I used to self harm; only Gendry knows this. Sometimes a distraction for a few moments made the world of difference, but I never wanted anyone else to know just how weak I was._   
  
_Jon, don’t look for us. We will be fine, we have each other. He’ll look after me, and I’ll look after him. I said he’d do anything for me, it’s mutual, I’d do anything for him. Gendry and I are equals in everything. He used to think he wasn’t good enough for me, he’d say he’s just an orphan and mechanics apprentice and I’m the daughter of the deputy Prime Minister. I don’t care. That doesn’t matter. He matters, he’s all that matters. We’re going to be okay. I’ll write to you in a few months._   
  
_You’re my cousin, but thank you for also being my friend. And especially thank you for being a brother to Gendry. Please look after everyone. Also, could you let Davos and Marya know that I’m grateful for EVERYTHING they did for me, for you and especially for Gendry. They’re good people._   
  
_Arya._

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this whole layout thing was super cool and all in my head. Then I started doing it, after ages spent handwriting the letters too, and nothing would bloody edit!! So I ended up with them looking pretty rubbish - half wishing I'd just stuck with typing them!!  
> *sigh* I'm far too useless with tech. Hope you can still all enjoy it even if it didn't come out as I envisioned.


	41. GENDRY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you do not wish to read the handwritten letter, go to below the first line.

    Gendry pulled out a backpack and began to throw a load of clothes into it, he didn’t really have any personal possessions, other than his clothing, just two photos. He picked up the photo of him and Jon, it had been taken one Gendry’s 16th name day, the second photo was him with Arya, her siblings and Jon, it had been taken by Eddard the day he and Arya’s mother had returned from _The North_ after their week away. That was all Gendry really had. There were some documents in Marya’s office too, he’d need to try and get them but that would have to wait until everyone else was asleep. Gendry pushed his now full backpack under his bed and grabbed a pen and piece of paper from the top of one of the dressers in the bedroom.

 

    Gendry folded the letter up and put it in his wallet, he’d have to ask Arya for an envelope and a stamp, and get her to do the address, he’d struggled with just that small note he’d written.

* * *

 

  
    Gendry pulled out a backpack and began to throw a load of clothes into it, he didn’t really have any personal possessions other than his clothing, just two photos. He picked up the photo of him and Jon, it had been taken one Gendry’s 16th name day, the second photo was him with Arya, her siblings and Jon, it had been taken by Eddard the day he and Arya’s mother had returned from The North after their week away. That was all Gendry really had. There were some documents in Marya’s office too, he’d need to try and get them but that would have to wait until everyone else was asleep. Gendry pushed his now full backpack under his bed and grabbed a pen and piece of paper from the top of one of the dressers in the bedroom.  
  
 **Davos & Marya,**  
  
 **Sorre i had to go. Arya needs me. I love her.**  
 **I love u to, u r my pairents.**  
 **Hopefully i will rite betta nect time..**  
 **Dont look for us, we will be ok.**  
  
 **I love u both.**  
  
 **Gendry**  
  
    Gendry folded the letter up and put it in his wallet, he’d have to ask Arya for an envelope and a stamp, and get her to do the address, he’d struggled with just that small note he’d written.

 

 


	42. ARYA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you do not wish to read the hand written letters, just scroll to below the first line, there you will find the typed version.

    “Two single tickets to Cape Wrath please.” Arya said approaching the ticket window at Kings Cross Landing train station at 6:10am Monday morning.

  
“£55.80, love.” The lady replied.

  
Arya handed her £60 and waited for the change and tickets.

  
“Here, go post these.” She said handing Gendry the 7 letters they’d written.

  
    “Why Cape Wrath?” Gendry asked that afternoon as they checked into a small B&B on the seafront.

  
“Not sure, we came here once when I was younger. We agreed to keep moving right, so I just chose a town.” Arya shrugged.

  
Arya watched Gendry looking out of the window out to the sea, even though it was still summer, the sea was grey and already looked quite rough.

  
“We should go to the bank,” Arya said. “See if we can transfer my money out into another account, just in case they do try to look for us.”

  
Gendry frowned for a moment.

  
“But can’t they just track your name?” He asked her.

  
“Maybe. I told them not to, but they might.” she worried at her lip.

  
“Arya..” Gendry paused.

  
“Hm?” She murmured as he turned to face her.

  
“Did you know,” he inhaled deeply. Arya thought he looked nervous, she noted him playing at the cuff of his sleeve.”Did you know that if we got married, they couldn’t track us?”

  
Arya froze momentarily. No wonder he’d looked nervous.

  
“Gendry,” she breathed, “did you just propose to me?”

  
“I.. I ugh..” He stuttered.

  
Arya sat on the edge of the bed, then Gendry sat beside her, draping an arm around her shoulder.

  
“Gods, I don’t know.. I want to marry you Ar! Like I want you so bad, forever and always and all that bullshit. But am I proposing? Like.. am I because of convenience? Shit.. I don’t even know what..” He stuttered.

  
“Gendry,” Arya took his hand.

  
He looked up at her.

  
“It makes sense.” She agreed.

  
“Okay..” he sighed. “But, wait, you’re not just marrying me for the convince of it are you?”

  
“No. I’m marrying you at a convenient time for the convenience, I’m agreeing to marrying you because I love you.” she rolled her eyes at him.

  
      
    “So do we find someone to marry us first or a bank first?” Gendry asked as they stepped outside.

  
“I don’t know!” Arya groaned. “It would make sense to get a bank account together, but we might not be able to do that unless we’re married. But then again, if we don’t address the bank situation first, my parents might put a freeze on my main account or something?”

  
“Bank first.” Gendry said.

  
  
    “Look, it’s nothing special, I have basically no money.” Gendry said coming into their room one evening after telling Arya he was going for a walk.

  
“What?” Arya said sitting up on the bed.

  
Gendry sheepishly walked across the room towards the bed, he paused before Arya and dropped to one knee.

  
“I want to do it properly.” He said reaching into his jacket pocket pulling out a small box.

  
Arya narrowed her eyes at him, he just grinned.

  
“Arya Stark, I love you and nothing is worth anything without you, so will you marry me?” his eyes shinned with mischief as he opened the box up.

  
Inside was a gummy ring, a smile spread across Arya’s face.

  
“Do you have amnesia you stupid bull?” she laughed, “Already said I’d marry you, didn’t I?”

  
Gendry grinned back at her and passed her the ring box. Arya took the gummy ring out of the box and placed it on her ring finger. She sunk back on the bed holding her hand up in front of her, examining it.

  
“What are you doing?” Gendry laughed flopping down besides her, propping himself up on one elbow.

  
“I’m thinking what question to ask you first.”

  
“Whatever do you mean?” He gasped theoretically.

  
Arya turned to face him, rolling her eyes. She pushed him down onto his back and straddled him atop the bed.

  
“Hi.” He grinned.

  
“Shut up.” She growled crashing her lips into his, desire took over her body as she grasped his shirt and began to pull it up over his head.

  
He ran his hands along her side down to her hips, before grabbing the hem of her t-shirt and pulling it off her. Soon the two of them were naked save for Arya’s new ring. Arya positioned herself over Gendry, her small chest rising and falling as she looked down at him.

  
“What?” he said running his hands over her arse.

  
“Just, thinking how much I love you.” she replied.

  
“Stop thinking, start showing.” he demanded softly.

  
Arya laughed and brought her hips down over his, letting him sink deeply within her. Gendry’s hands travelled around to her hips, allowing him to control her pace. He allowed her to stay on top for a few moments, until she saw some almost animal look cross his eyes. Swiftly, but gently, he flipped them over so Arya was now on her back. He continued to thrust into her, he was in control now, Arya wrapped her legs around his waist allowing him to thrust deeper within her. Her hands ran across his shoulders and down his back, caressing all the muscles at work.

  
“Ar, Arya, mm..” he gasped shuddering within her.

 

  
    “What were the questions then?” Gendry asked later as they lounged on the bed naked.

  
“Where’s the rest of the rings? And where’s the real one?” She asked, Gendry chuckled slightly.

 

“You can’t just buy a box y’know.” She added.

  
“Clever girl.” He practically purred leaning across to kiss her before standing up.

  
Arya watched as he walked across the room. Gods he is perfect, she thought taking in his naked form as he bent down to pick his jacket up. He turned towards her with a grin on his face.

  
“Your rings milady.” He said handing her an open pack of gummy rings and a real ring.

  
She put the bag down onto the bed and removed the gummy ring from her finger, placing it on her fiancés knee as he sat next to her. She held the ring carefully for a few moments before Gendry took it out of her hand and slid in onto her ring finger.

  
“I’m sorry it’s not fancy.” Gendry said to her. “I mean, I doubt it’s even a real jewel or anything, it’s probably just glass..”

  
Arya kissed him to stop him talking.

  
“I don’t care. It’s from you, that’s all that matters, it’s all I need.”

  
  
    They stayed in Cape Wrath for a week, by time they left they were married. Nothing fancy, just the registry office with a random old couple as witnesses. But they left Cape Wrath as Gendry and Arya Waters as they boarded a bus for a place called Nightsong. Arya had let Gendry choose a place as she showed him a map.

  
“Why there?” Arya asked.

  
“I don’t know! I can hardly read the thing.” He said motioning to the map.

  
Arya just laughed and smiled at her husband.

  
    Prior to boarding their bus, Arya walked to the post office in Cape Wrath to post two letters.

 

* * *

 

  
    “Two single tickets to Cape Wrath please.” Arya said approaching the ticket window at Kings Cross Landing train station at 6:10am Monday morning.  
“£55.80, love.” The lady replied.

  
Arya handed her £60 and waited for the change and tickets.

  
“Here, go post these.” She said handing Gendry the 7 letters they’d written.

  
  
    “Why Cape Wrath?” Gendry asked that afternoon as they checked into a small B&B on the seafront.

  
“Not sure, we came here once when I was younger. We agreed to keep moving right, so I just chose a town.” Arya shrugged.

  
Arya watched Gendry looking out of the window out to the sea, even though it was still summer, the sea was grey and already looked quite rough.

  
“We should go to the bank,” Arya said. “See if we can transfer my money out into another account, just incase they do try to look for us.”

  
Gendry frowned for a moment.

  
“But can’t they just track your name?” He asked her.

  
“Maybe. I told them not to, but they might.” she worried at her lip.

  
“Arya..” Gendry paused.

  
“Hm?” She murmured as he turned to face her.

  
“Did you know,” he inhaled deeply. Arya thought he looked nervous.”Did you know that if we got married, they couldn’t track us?”

  
Arya froze momentarily. No wonder he’d looked nervous.

  
“Gendry,” she breathed, “did you just propose to me?”

  
“I.. I ugh..” He stuttered.

  
Arya sat on the edge of the bed, then Gendry sat beside her, draping an arm around her shoulder.

  
“Gods, I don’t know.. I want to marry you Ar! Like I want you so bad, forever and always and all that bullshit. But am I proposing? Like.. am I because of convenience? Shit.. I don’t even know what..” He stuttered.

  
“Gendry,” Arya took his hand.

  
He looked up at her.

  
“It makes sense.” She agreed.

  
“Okay..” he sighed. “But, wait, you’re not just marrying me for the convince of it are you?”

  
“No. I’m marrying you at a convenient time for the convenience, I’m agreeing to marrying you because I love you.” she rolled her eyes at him.

  
      
    “So do we find someone to marry us first or a bank first?” Gendry asked as they stepped outside.

  
“I don’t know!” Arya groaned. “It would make sense to get a bank account together, but we might not be able to do that unless we’re married. But then again, if we don’t address the bank situation first, my parents might put a freeze on my main account or something?”

  
“Bank first.” Gendry said.

  
  
    “Look, it’s nothing special, I have basically no money.” Gendry said coming into their room one evening after telling Arya he was going for a walk.

  
“What?” Arya said sitting up on the bed.

  
Gendry sheepishly walked across the room towards the bed, he paused before Arya and dropped to one knee.

  
“I want to do it properly.” He said reaching into his jacket pocket pulling out a small box.

  
Arya narrowed her eyes at him, he just grinned.

  
“Arya Stark, I love you and nothing is worth anything without you, so will you marry me?” his eyes shinned with mischief as he opened the box up.

  
Inside was a gummy ring, a smile spread across Arya’s face.

  
“Do you have amnesia you stupid bull?” she laughed, “Already said I’d marry you, didn’t I?”

  
Gendry grinned back at her and passed her the ring box. Arya took the gummy ring out of the box and placed it on her ring finger. She sunk back on the bed holding her hand up in front of her, examining it.

  
“What are you doing?” Gendry laughed flopping down besides her, propping himself up on one elbow.

  
“I’m thinking what question to ask you first.”

  
“Whatever do you mean?” He gasped theoretically.

  
Arya turned to face him, rolling her eyes. She pushed him down onto his back and straddled him atop the bed.

  
“Hi.” He grinned.

  
“Shut up.” She growled crashing her lips into his, desire took over her body as she grasped his shirt and began to pull it up over his head.

  
He ran his hands along her side down to her hips, before grabbing the hem of her t-shirt and pulling it off her. Soon the two of them were naked save for Arya’s new ring. Arya positioned herself over Gendry, her small chest rising and falling as she looked down at him.

  
“What?” he said running his hands over her arse.

  
“Just, thinking how much I love you.” she replied.

  
“Stop thinking, start showing.” he demanded softly.

  
Arya laughed and brought her hips down over his, letting him sink deeply within her. Gendry’s hands traveled around to her hips, allowing him to control her pace. He allowed her to stay on top for a few moments, until she saw some almost animal look cross his eyes. Swiftly, but gently, he flipped them over so Arya was now on her back. He continued to thrust into her, he was in control now, Arya wrapped her legs around his waist allowing him to thrust deeper within her. Her hands ran across his shoulders and down his back, caressing all the muscles at work.

  
“Ar, Arya, mm..” he gasped shuddering within her.

  
    “What were the questions then?” Gendry asked later as they lounged on the bed naked.

  
“Where’s the rest of the rings? And where’s the real one?” She asked, Gendry chuckled slightly. “You can’t just buy a box y’know.” She added.

  
“Clever girl.” He purred leaning across to kiss her before standing up.

  
Arya watched as he walked across the room. Gods he is perfect, she thought taking in his naked form as he bent down to pick his jacket up. He turned towards her with a grin on his face.

  
“Your rings milady.” He said handing her an open pack of gummy rings and a real ring.

  
She put the bag down onto the bed and removed the gummy ring from her finger, placing it on her fiancés knee as he sat next to her. She held the ring carefully for a few moments before Gendry took it out of her hand and slid in onto her ring finger.

  
“I’m sorry it’s not fancy.” Gendry said to her. “I mean, I doubt it’s even a real jewel or anything, it’s probably just glass..”

  
Arya kissed him to stop him talking.

  
“I don’t care. It’s from you, that’s all that matters, it’s all I need.”

  
  
    They stayed in Cape Wrath for a week, by time they left they were married. Nothing fancy, just the registry office with a random old couple as witnesses. But they left Cape Wrath as Gendry and Arya Waters as they boarded a bus for a place called Nightsong. Arya had let Gendry choose a place as she showed him a map.

  
“Why there?” Arya asked.

  
“I don’t know! I can hardly read the thing.” He said motioning to the map.

  
Arya just laughed and smiled at her husband.

  
    Prior to boarding their bus, Arya walked to the postoffice in Cape Wrath to post two letters.

 

* * *

  
  
_Mum and Dad,_   
  
_Don’t look for us here, by time this letter reaches you, we’ll be gone. I just wanted to let you know that I am good. Gendry and I miss you all, but this is the right thing for us right now. Give my love to Sansa, and the boys, Jon too. I love you both._   
  
_Arya._

 

* * *

  
  
**Davos & Marya,**   
  
**I’m good, I hope u r both well. I hope u r not worrein about me.**   
  
**We just both wanted to let you know that we are okay, Gendry asked me to write the rest of the letter, his writing is getting better, but he is struggling. We are both happy. We’re leaving Cape Wrath very shortly, so don’t think to look for us here, or anywhere.**   
  
**Arya & Gendry**

 


	43. GENDRY

    Prior to a few weeks ago, Gendry had never left Kings Landing. Cape Wrath had been a new experience for him, Kings Landing had a beach, but it was in the richer areas of the city, in Flea Bottom, all they had was the muddy murky river. At Cape Wrath Arya and Gendry had sat on the beach every evening watching the sun go down. Gendry felt at ease, the fresh air and Arya’s presence were amazing. Arriving in Nightsong was another experience. Kings Landing was a sprawling city, even the hills there were built on and Cape Wrath had been a forested area surrounded by the beach and sea. Nightsong was at the start of the Dornish Marches. The town itself was a decent size but was mostly surrounded by countryside on three sides, and the beginning of a mountain range on the other side.

 

  
    “I’ll go see if any of the auto-shops will take on a mechanic and hopefully an apprentice too!” Gendry declared after they checked into a motel on the edge of the town.

  
“Okay, I’ll go get the bearings on the town, look at places to rent, in case we manage to get jobs!” Arya responded.

  
Gendry kissed her lightly and left. He’d noticed several auto-shops on the way through the town, and a few car sales rooms on the outskirts, hopefully someone would be willing to take him on at least.

  
The first auto-shop was very small, the guy looked Gendry up and down suspiciously as he walked in.

 

  
    “Hi, I’m new in town, I’m looking for a job as a mechanic, you wouldn’t happen to have any jobs available would you?” Gendry asked politely.

  
“Nah kid,” the man shook his head. “Just me working here, only a small shop ain’t it. But, if you go here,” he handed Gendry a piece of paper with an address on it, Gendry couldn’t read it but could tell it was an address by the format, “they’re a lot bigger, always looking for new mechanics, takes on apprentices too!”

  
“Wow, thank you so much, that’s so helpful of you.” Gendry shook the mans hand and left.

 

  
    Gendry furrowed his brow looking down at the paper in frustration at not being able to read it. He was about to head back to the motel to wait for Arya until she could read it for him when he noticed her stood outside a store front across the road from him.

  
“Ar!” He called out jogging across the road after checking it was clear.

  
“Hey!” She spun smiling up at him.

  
Gendry thought his heart had momentarily stopped looking down at his little wife with the smile she wore only for him.

  
“Hey.” He smiled back before kissing her.

  
“Gods, you saw me like less than an hour ago!” she rolled her eyes but pulled him back for another kiss.

  
“Help me find this place?” He said handing her the piece of paper.

  
“Chapel road..” Arya said slowly, “Hang on, there’s a town map over here.” She grasped his hand and dragged him over to a large metal sign with a map attached to it.

  
“We’re here.” Arya pointed to a place on the map, “Chapel road… is here.” She pointed to a road three roads down from where they were. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

  
  
    “Wow this place is bigger than Davos’.” Gendry said as they approached the auto-shop. The two of them walked inside, there was a desk just off from the main entrance with a lady sat at it.

  
“Hello,” Gendry said almost shyly.

  
“Can I help you dear?” The woman replied.

  
“Yeah, we’re new to town.” He motioned to Arya stood beside him. “I’m looking for work as a mechanic, someone suggested trying here. Said you tend to take on mechanics quite often, and apprentices too.”

  
The woman eyed the two of them momentarily.

  
“You an apprentice?” She asked Arya.

  
“Yes.” Arya replied.

  
“How old are you girl?”

  
“16 ma’am.”

  
The woman regarded the two of them briefly.

  
“Wait here a moment.” she said before walking off.

  
“She probably thinks I’m too young!” Arya said once she was out of earshot.

  
“You know most apprentices are your age.” Gendry responded.

  
“Yeah but most of them are bigger than me. They probably think I don’t even know the first thing about cars!” She rolled her eyes.

  
“Well they don’t know the first thing about us, so if they give us a chance, we just have to show them.” He shrugged.

 

  
    “You two,” the woman called sticking her head through a door.

  
Arya and Gendry’s heads snapped up.

  
“Through here please.” The woman motioned.

  
The two of them made their way over to her; into an office where a man sat behind a big desk covered in paper work.

  
“This is my husband Charles, I’m Shannon.” The woman said to them.

  
“Sit, sit.” Charles said kindly motioning to the two seat across from him.

  
The two of them sat, and noticed Charles and Shannon both exchange a look.

  
“So, you’re a fully fledged mechanic boy?” Charles asked Gendry.

  
“Yes Sir.” he replied.

  
“How old are you?”

  
“17 sir, I’m 18 in ten days.”

  
The man nodded at Gendry.

  
“I trust you have the paperwork for your qualifications?”

  
“Yes Sir, did you want to see them now?” Gendry reached for the bag he’d been carrying.

  
“And you, Shannon says your 16.” Charles turned to Arya.

  
“Yes Sir, I’ve been working at the same auto-shop as Gendry for the past several months. Just weekends whilst I was at school, but 5 days a week over the summer.” Arya responded.

  
“And how come you’re not back at school?” Shannon asked.

  
Arya peered at Gendry briefly, he was handing his paperwork over the Charles, he felt his face redden slightly. Gendry felt the older couple note the rings on their fingers.

  
“Did you run away to get married?” Shannon asked.

  
“No!” Gendry replied suddenly. “We didn’t.. I mean we are married, yes. But we didn’t run away to get married.”

  
“Okay,” Charles said peering down at Gendry’s paperwork. “Yes, all good, very good. Great reference here too.”

  
“Arya’s apprentice record is there too.” Gendry stated.

  
“Brilliant.” Charles said flicking through the papers.

 

  
    “I’ll give the two of you a two week trial, I take it you work best together and can be professional?” Charles asked.

  
“Thank you sir.” Gendry said.

  
“Yes sir.” Arya added.

  
“If I like you after the two week trial we can negotiate a contract. I’m assuming the two of you don’t want to be sticking around here forever, so maybe a six month contract or something?” Charles asked.

  
Gendry and Arya just smiled at him. Gendry had no clue how but Charles and Shannon seemed to understand somewhat of what was going on with Arya and Gendry.

  
  
    Arya and Gendry started their jobs the next day, after work they continued to look for somewhere to rent. Three days into the job they found a bedsit a road away from the auto-shop, it was cheap and basic, just what they wanted. They both settled into their new life quickly, the two of them were very adaptable and didn’t want for anything so long as they had each other.


	44. ARYA

    Arya had woken early on Gendry’s birthday, it was a Thursday one of their days off along with Sunday. Arya had bought the ingredients to make Gendry’s favourite white chocolate mud cake the night before. As her husband slept in bed she began to make the cake across the room in the small kitchenette. As the cake was baking Arya sat at the kitchen table with a book she’d checked out from the library.

  
    “Uhmm mm..” she heard Gendry groan.

 

  
She placed the book down on the table and peered across to her husband waking up. It was still so strange to think of Gendry as her husband, and yet she loved it.

  
“Happy birthday sleepy head.” She said standing starting to walk over to the bed.

  
“What time is it?” He groaned.

  
“8:15am.” She replied.

  
Gendry rolled over so he was face down on the bed.

  
“Old age catching up with you?” Arya teased sitting on the bed next to him.

  
“Mm something like that.”

  
Arya laughed standing up. Gendry grasped her wrist trying to pull her back, which was awkward with him on his front.

  
“Don’t leave.” He whined turning back over.

  
“I need to check the oven!” She walked away.

 

  
    She took the cake out of the oven to set it on the side to cool down before turning back towards the bed.

  
“So,” she began slowly stepping toward the bed, “I didn’t really buy you anything for your birthday..” She began to slowly remove her clothes as she approached him. “But I thought, your favourite cake and a day with me would suffice?” She asked shimmying her pants down.

  
“Fuck,” he swore sitting up swiftly.

  
She kneeled on the bed in front of him.

  
“Just what I wanted.” He whispered into her ear pulling her down to the bed.

 

  
    “How does it feel to be officially an adult?” Arya said with her head on Gendry’s chest after they’d finished having sex.

  
“Mate, I’ve been an adult since I was four!” He quipped.

  
Arya laughed briefly, she peered up at this face, he had a heavy black stubble across his jaw, his cheeks were flushed slightly and his blue eyes were bright. She reached up to caress his stubble, then gently brought her lips to his.

  
“I hate everything you had to go through.” She whispered.

  
“As I hate what you’ve been through. But it doesn’t matter no more Ar, we’re here, we have each other. It’s all we need.” He had a look of determination on his face as he pulled her face back up to his.

  
“I love you more than life it’s self Arya Waters.” He said kissing her. “It’s still weird.. you’re Arya Stark..”

  
“Shut up stupid, my name doesn’t really matter. You and I are all that matter.” She soothed him.


	45. GENDRY

    “I’m happy with both of your work.” Charles said to them in his office when their two week trial was up. “I’m happy for you both to sign a contract for however long you think.”

  
Gendry peered to Arya who nodded lightly.

  
“We’d like to stay for six months.” He said.

  
The man nodded curtly and pulled out a pile of paperwork for the two of them to sign. Gendry paused waiting for Arya to take the lead. He stared down at the sheets pretending to read them as he saw Arya's eyes reading them out of the corner of his eye. Arya began to sign a part of her sheet, she lightly tapped his knee with her own as a signal for him to do likewise on his sheet. Once they finished they handed Charles the sheets back. He gazed at the two of them.

  
“You don’t read well do you Gendry?” Charles asked him.

  
“No, not really.” Gendry winced.

  
“I read well enough for the two of us, don’t worry it doesn’t hold him back.” Arya said fiercely.

  
Charles smiled at that.

  
“Got yourself a good woman Gendry. Still can’t help but feel like the two of you are running from something though.” Charles stated.

  
Gendry looked at Arya who just shrugged lightly.

  
“Nothing that will cause you any problems.” She responded.

  
      
    Their time in Nightsong passed relatively quickly, they worked hard and everyone at the auto-shop were friendly and valued their work. On their days off they had begun to explore the surrounding areas, taking walks through the fields and meadows surrounding the town, they’d even taken a few hikes into the mountains. Arya’s 17th name day passed, Gendry reciprocated her birthday gift to him - except he made pancakes rather than cake. They were happy and at peace in Nightsong. Arya had enrolled in evening classes to try and finish up her education, she loved working with cars and said it was probably what she would stick at but all the same she wanted to complete her education. Gendry loved her even more for that. She also helped him out more with his reading and writing, he was still a long way off, but he was improving each month. At the end of every two months Arya or Gendry would write a letter back home. Most of the time they would take the letters to other towns nearby, it still gave an indication to their area, but it veiled it somewhat. If they knew someone who was going out of time around that time they’d ask them to post the letter from wherever they were, almost to throw the scent off.


	46. NIGHTSONG LETTERS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to read the typed version rather than handwritten, please scroll to below the first line. The typed version may not actually be word for word of the hand written one.

2 months in:

 

4 months in:

 

6 months in:

* * *

2 months in:

* * *

  
_Rickon,_   
  
_Hey kid! I hope you’re behaving. I hope school is going well, I know you don’t really like it, but just know how privileged you are to learn._   
**Yeh Rick, woods’t want to be stoopid lyk me. 18 and still cant reed or rite proper. Don’t help haf the words have letters Arya ses are silent. Like why aint ‘are’ just ‘r’ or ‘why’ ‘y’? Wood be easier, rite? She’s havin a go now sayin I’m usin the rong ‘wood’ and ‘rite’, reeds fine tho don’t it?**   
_I never have a go Rick! He just doesn’t listen half the time. Anyways, he’s not quite as stupid as he makes out, besides, his mechanical skills make up for his lack of eduction. He’s still okay though, even if he is stupid!_   
**OI! She’s still meen!**   
_I love you Rickon, hope you are happy. I am._   
  
_Arya & **Gendry**_   
  


* * *

  
4 months in:

* * *

  
_Dad,_   
  
_Hey daddy. I miss you so much. I know, you’re probably thinking stupid girl, shouldn’t have ran away then. Dad, please know I had to. I’m happy now. I miss you all so much, but I’m happy. I’m living my life. I don’t have to worry about them, I don’t have to worry about people talking about me.. I just couldn’t do it dad. I couldn’t._   
  
_So, Gendry and I are working in an auto-shop, it’s going well. We like the place, everyone is really nice. I’m studying in the evenings, I still want to finish up my education. And I’m still helping Gendry with his reading and writing. He’s improving, but he doesn’t understand why words aren’t phonetic or why there are several words that sound the same with different meanings and different spellings - I guess you just accept that when you’re a kid, but at 18 you question it! Read Rickon’s letter from 2 months ago to see what I mean!_   
  
_I hope everyone is well. Remind them all that I love you all, and I miss you all. Don’t look for us._   
  
_Arya_   
  


* * *

  
6 months in:

* * *

  
**Davos & Marya,**  
  
 **My reading and writting is getting better. Still takes me like 5 times as long to writ something than it wood if Arya wrote it. And I still get words confused. Like y does there have to be loads of words the same, meaning diffrent things? Stupid ain’t it!**  
  
 **Arya and I both had name days since i last rote, things r good. We’ve been working at an auto-shop. It’s good there. It’s not home like at yours, but we like it!**  
  
 **Miss u both.**  
  
 **Gendry**

 

 


	47. ARYA

    “You both still leaving then?” Shannon questioned her on their last day of work.

  
“Yeah, six months, plus the two weeks trial. It’s time to move on.” Arya answered.

  
“You really are running.” Shannon grinned.

  
“More… jogging than running?” Arya joked back.

  
During their time in Nightsong, Arya had grown friendly with Shannon, the woman was a bit younger than her mother and was very easy to get along with. She was friendly and funny, she tried to be nosy, but always knew when to stop prying.

  
“Charles said we will provide the two of you with glowing references, and if you ever want to come back to work here, we’ll sort that out.” Shannon told her.

  
“Thank you so much. We’ve actually loved it here, the past six months have been great for the two of us, I think we’ve both learned a lot, and both had the chance to grow and mature.”

  
“Well, you’ve both had name days since you’ve been here!” Shannon hugged her lightly.

  
    “So, do you know where you’re going next?” Charles asked before Arya and Gendry left the auto-shop for the last time.

  
“No, not yet.” Gendry said.

  
“You both are a bit strange you know!” Charles shook his head.

  
“Ha!” Arya snorted. “We’d figured that out a while back. It’s just all about self preservation.”

  
“Sometimes I look at you and I see a 12 year old girl, other times I see the 17 year old young woman you are, then other times I swear you’re a wise old crone Arya Waters!” Charles laughed. “We’re all going to miss you both.”

  
  
    Arya and Gendry were packed ready to leave the following morning.

  
“Where are we going then? It’s your turn.” Gendry prompted.

  
Arya frowned down at their map. She traced their route from Kings Landing to Cape Wrath to Nightsong with her index finger. She continued to run her finger along the map, further West, then slightly South.

  
“Old Town.” She announced.

  
“Really?” Gendry raised an eyebrow.

  
“Why not? It’s a big city, lots of opportunities, we can just melt in. Also the libraries there are to die for, the best in the world!”

  
“You want to go for the libraries?”

  
Arya shrugged. She’d never been to Old Town, but it was somewhere she’d wanted to visit since she was a small child.

  
“Old Town it is!” Gendry declared standing up beginning to gather up their bags. 


	48. GENDRY

    Old Town was far more like Kings Landing than the past two places they’d been. It was a big city, an old city as its name suggested. The city was more ordered than the sprawling newer city of Kings Landing, all it’s streets led into the centre of the city where the Grand Library of Westeros sat.

  
    Like when they arrived in Nightsong, they checked into a cheap motel on the city edges. Then they set out, Gendry to look for work and Arya to look for somewhere to live. Nightsong had been an incredibly friendly and helpful town, Gendry could already sense the job of finding work would be a lot harder here in Old Town.

  
    The positive thing was that there were many auto-shops in Old Town, so more choices if they were rejected. But more auto-shops also meant more mechanics, probably ones far more experienced than Gendry. Gendry had visited five auto-shops that morning, most of the men had laughed him out of the place, deeming him too green. He returned to the motel for lunch like he and Arya had agreed on.

  
“Did you want me to come with you this afternoon?” Arya said before taking a bite of her sandwich.

  
“Couldn’t hurt I guess.” He murmured feeling a little overwhelmed by the place.

  
  
    The seventh auto-shop Gendry entered that day was smaller than the last two he’d worked in, but it was still a decent size.

  
“Can I elp’ boy?” an old man with a limp asked.

  
“Hi, we’re new in town. I’m a qualified mechanic, I was wondering if you had any jobs going?” Gendry said quickly.

  
“Got references?” The man asked his eyes drifting to Arya.

  
“Oh, yeah, did you want to see them?”

  
“No that’s fine. What about the little lady?” The man asked nodding in Arya’s direction.

  
“She’s my apprentice.. I’ve got references for her too.” Gendry replied.

  
“Hm. You know most mechanics don’t travel around with their apprentices, or have their references on hand.” The old bloke answered.

  
Gendry rubbed the back of his neck.

  
“Uh, yeah she’s also my wife.” he answered nervously.

  
“Gathered somethin’ like that.”

  
The man eyed the two of them.

  
“How long you wantin’ work for then?” He asked them.

  
“Six months.” Arya responded.

  
Then man nodded.

  
“Basic pay is all I can offer, just what the law says I have to pay. But you keep any tips you get.” The man said.

  
“That’s reasonable.” Arya replied.

  
“Start at 7am tomorrow, I’ll have paperwork ready for yous.”

  
  
    “It’s not Nightsong,” Gendry said on their way back to the motel, “But a job's a job!”

  
Arya grinned at him.

  
“Did you find any places earlier? I forgot to ask at lunch.” Genrdy asked as they arrived at the hotel.

  
“There’s a few places, I’ll show you now.” She said stepping into their room.

  
Arya spread three sheets of paper across the table in their motel room.

  
“Okay, so this one,” She pointed to the middle sheet, “is just a couple of streets from the auto-shop, it’s cheap and basic, looks okay. This one,” she pointed to the sheet on the left, “is really cheap, and actually doesn’t look bad, but it’s a 20-25 minute walk to the auto-shop. And the last one is more expensive, but it looks really good, it’s about an 8 minute walk.”

  
“Well, cheap and basic has served us before hasn’t it.” Gendry said studying the sheets. They all looked liveable at least.

  
“Also, with cheap maybe we could start saving for a car? Kind of weird that a mechanic doesn’t have one.” Gendry laughed.

  
“Yeah.. maybe I should actually do my test too.. sometimes I forget I don’t actually have a licence and that I’m old enough now.” Arya replied.

  
“Right, so you need to transfer to a new night school, get on your driving licence and then we’ll buy a car! Oh.. best get the apartment in the morning too.” Gendry said almost excitedly. 

"You sound like a child on their name day!" Arya smiled leaning in to kiss him softly.


	49. OLD TOWN LETTERS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, skip to below the first line break on the page to go straight to the typed version.

Second month:

 

Fourth month:

 

Sixth month:

 

* * *

 

 

Second month:

* * *

  
_Sansa,_   
  
_Hey sis! You mustn’t have long left at uni now? Hope it’s all going well, good luck with your exams!! I’ve been doing night classes to keep up with my education, I also realised two months ago I hadn’t actually got my drivers licence. So I’ve got that sorted, Gendry and I just bought a car. It’s kind of a pile of crap, but it drives, so that’s all that really matters._   
  
_It’s difficult to know what to say when I know you can’t reply to me… I want to ask you questions, but what’s the point when I can’t allow you to reply. You probably all hate me, don’t you?_   
  
_We’re in a different place now, I love and hate it here. Work is fine, the last place was so much better though. The whole place is too big, but there’s a lot of cool stuff here. Also, I guess it’s easier to hide in a big place._   
  
_There’s nothing else new to report on with me. Gendry and I are doing well. Don’t ever try to look for us. We’ll come home one day. Probably. I love you all._   
  
_Arya_   
  


* * *

  
Fourth month:

* * *

  
**Jon,**  
  
 **I allways feel like a idiot writing these letters, but Arya says we have to do them. I just never now what to actuly say.**  
 **We’re good. Gess that’s always good to say. We’re happy and helthy.**  
 **We got a car and Arya got her liesense (that’s really not right is it? shit that’s a hard word!)**  
 **I’ll let Arya write, at least she can write proper.**  
  
   _He’s getting better with his reading and writing, it’s pretty amazing actually! Last week he actually read a whole book. It was a kids book! And? It was still an achievement!_  
  
 _We both miss you Jon. We hope your job is still going well. We hope you are happy, hopefully you’ve found love or something._  
  
 _I don’t know why Gendry think’s I’m better at this than he is. I’m really shitty at these letters. It’s pointless isn’t it? Me just telling you all I miss you and love you whilst telling you the most basic things about our lives. I feel really shitty about all this some days. Then I think about what happened, and I know I had to do this…. but.. I… Argh. It doesn’t matter. At least I’m away from them, whatever happened to them. I’ll bet if any of them even got any jail time they’d all be out by now. At least I don’t have to face that._  
  
 _So yeah, in summary, working.. me and Gendry.. got my driving licence.. bought a car.. life.. life… living… I’m getting pissed off at myself here which is unfair on you. Sorry!_  
  
 _Love you, don’t try to find us._  
  
 _Arya &_ **Gendry**  
  


* * *

  
Sixth month:

* * *

  
_Brandon Stark!_  
  
 _Hey Bran. Wow, you’d be a teenager now. Don’t worry I won’t gross you out with adult stuff. Not when I can still gross you out with simple stuff like…. ohhh…. right we were in work a few days ago, I’m servicing this van and some how, Gendry managed to open a door right into himself, cut his leg up bad, blood EVERYWHERE. Like puddles of it. You could swim in the blood there was that much of it. Man, poor bloke had to get 5 stitches. Ouch. The blood though._  
 **Bran, i’m sorre your sister is still a cock (can i say that word now your a teenagger?) SHE found the hole thing funny, I didn’t, it bloody hurt, Im problee going to have a scar.**  
  
 _Summer holidays now brother? Bet you’re loving that! Hope mum and dad aren’t going too hard on you. I bet you got all As on your end of year exams, huh? (Well maybe not in gym…. but that’s not really a grade is it?). I got my results back, all A’s except chemistry I only got a B. Who the fuck even knew you could do evening school chemistry?! I guess moving between night schools half way through the year didn’t really help *shrugs*._  
  
 _Have a good summer Bran, I hope you are well. We love you and miss you._  
  
 _Arya &_ **Gendry**

 


	50. ARYA

    Their six months in Old Town dragged a bit. Arya had begun to regret choosing the big city as their home, but at the same time she’d finally visited the Grand Library of Westeros.

They had worked hard in Old Town, but the city was wearing down on them.

  
    “Happy birthday.” Arya said kneeling over Gendry in bed.

  
“Piss off!” He groaned.

  
“Something keep you up all night?” She teased.

  
“Yeah, this little annoying..” she noticed his eyes flicker up to her face, “..beautiful.. amazing.. smart..”

  
Arya grinned down at him.

  
“Awh fuck you Arya!” He groaned as she felt his cock pressing into her.

  
She chuckled deeply, moving down his body and settling her mouth around his already hard cock. She began to move up and down, she peered up through her lashes, he was biting down on his lower lip, his eyes half closed in pleasure, which only served to sear her loins. She deftly ran her tongue up his shaft, placing a light kiss upon the head before running her hands up his chest. She braces her hands on his muscled pecs and lowered her hips over his slowly. She enjoyed teasing him, but at the same time she really wanted to feel him deep inside her. She allowed his cock to enter her, but just the tip, she squeezed her thighs preventing him from thrusting into her easily.

  
“Ar-ya..” he dragged her name out, he almost sounded like he was in pain.

  
“Happy birthday husband.” She purred relaxing her thighs, immediately he thrust up into her before deftly flipping her over onto her back.

 

  
    “You are such a fucking tease.” He panted after they had both collapsed onto the bed drenched in sweat.

  
She just grinned at him, he rolled over and pulled her to him and began to kiss her.

  
“Three more days at work.” Arya pointed out once his lips left hers.

  
Gendry smiled. They were both looking forward to leaving Old Town now.

  
“Where are we off to next, Mr navigator?” Arya raised an eyebrow.

  
“Get the map.” He said sitting up grabbing a pair of pants from the dresser.

  
Arya walked across the room and began rummaging in a draw for their map, she was still naked and could feel Gendry’s eyes on her back. As she picked the map up she could feel him walking towards her. She stayed where she was, resting one hand on top of the chest of draws she’d been in, allowing her other hand to drop to her side. She felt Gendry place a hand on her shoulder, then run the hand down to her breasts. He used his other hand to grasp her naked arse.

  
“Why are you so damn perfect?” He groaned into her ear, allowing the hand at her breast to travel up to her neck. She could feel his cock stiffening against her back through his pants. He used the hand on her neck to tilt her head back towards him, he placed a kiss hard down on her mouth, then he let his lips travel across her cheek, down her neck and to her shoulder.

  
“Something’s not right here.” Arya breathed reaching back to fumble at his pants.

  
She felt Gendry’s lips form into a smile, then they bit down on her shoulder eliciting a cry of pleasure from her. She grasped the fabric of his pants with one hand, he dropped the hand from the arse and pulled his pants down.

  
“Better..” She whispered up at him. She looked up into his eyes, he looked half animal.

  
“Arya.” He groaned, and pushed her gently down towards the draws in front of her.

  
She grasped the draws with both hands as he thrust his cock deep into her from behind.

  
“Gendry..” she couldn't help but moan his name, she loved it best when he took her from behind. The pleasure it brought was purer, sweeter than anything else, the only regret she had at this angle was that she could not look upon his face.

  
“Faster..” she groaned. “Gendry, Gendry..”

  
He breathed into her ear as his hips picked up the pace, she felt one of his hands begin to grip the draws like her own hands, his second hand was roughly caressing her left breast.

  
“Fuck, fuck..” He breathed into her ear as they both climaxed together.

 

  
    Gendry collapsed into a chair a few feet away from him, Arya remained bracing herself against the chest of draws, her legs shaking from the orgasm. She wiped her brow and drew in a deep breath before straightening up. She turned to her husband who looked half exhausted but had a massive grin plastered on his face.

  
“Here.” she said passing him the map. “I’m going to go shower and get ready for work.”

 

  
    By time Arya had come back out of the bathroom, Gendry was back in his pants and was pouring over the map she’d left him with. She could see his lips moving as he sounded out the names of places. Arya dressed for work before walking over to him.

  
“Where are we going then?” She asked over his shoulder.

  
“We’re here, right?” He said pointing to Old Town on the map.

  
“Yeah.” She replied.

  
“Okay, we can drive here,” he said tracing a road on the map, “The Ro-rose Road..” He frowned down at the map again. “What about this place, Highgarden?”

  
_Highgarden_ , Arya thought to herself.

_Highgarden_ … then the face of Margery Tyrell came to mind. She’d been a former pupil at Kings Landing Prep. before Arya had been there, she was the woman in the office when Arya was attacked. She worried her lip briefly. She knew the Tyrell’s ran Highgarden, the area was full of farms, orchards and vineyards. Margery was likely still in Kings Landing, and although the Tyrell’s would know her father, she doubted they’d recognise her. She’d grown a lot since leaving Kings Landing. Not in terms of height, she was still frozen at 5ft 2” but her body had gone from her soft girlish curves into the frame of a real woman now, her breasts were still small but they were now full and perky like a real woman’s, her hips were sharp and her arse toned. Her brown hair was much longer now, it no longer looked like her fathers. Arya used to copy her father’s simple hairstyle of pulling back half of his shoulder length hair at the back of his head. Arya now favoured using braids to hold half her hair back from the face, or a simple bun whilst at work. Arya considered it for a moment.

  
“Highgarden.” She murmured at last.

  
Gendry nodded slightly.

  
“We might be repairing a lot of tractors mind.” She added.


	51. GENDRY

    “Wow.. it’s so flat and green.” Gendry said as they were driving through the area surrounding Highgarden.

  
“Most of the country’s food is grown here, you know?” Arya said absent mindedly.

  
“Well if we can’t get work as mechanics, guess we’ll be farming then.” Gendry grinned at Arya.

  
“Sure.” She frowned.

  
“What’s wrong?” He asked reaching out for her hand.

  
“Nothing.” She shook her head briefly.

  
“You’re getting tired of running aren’t you?” Gendry asked her.

  
“No..” She sighed. “Just thinking..”

  
“Thinking what?” He pressed.

  
“I’m 18 in.. six weeks.”

  
“Do you think we should go back to Kings Landing?”

  
“No. Not yet.”

  
“Not yet?” He questioned.

  
“Not yet.” She echoed.

  
  
    “What do you know about tractors?” a small round man asked at the first auto-shop they visited.

  
“Er, not much.” Gendry said rubbing his neck.

  
“You’ve got good references boy, but we mostly deal with farm machinery here. Head into town, there’s a couple of auto-shops there, they’re less agricultural.” The man suggested.

  
They arrived at the third shop just before lunch time.

  
“Come on, we’ll try this one, then we’ll go get lunch.” Gendry said parking the car.

 

  
    Arya followed him into the auto-shop.

  
“Hey.” A boy in his late 20s said on seeing them.

  
“Hi, I’m Gendry and this is Arya,” Gendry motioned to her, “We’re looking for work. I’m a mechanic and she’s an apprentice.”

  
The man looked at the two of them for a moment.

  
“Thomas Crane.” The boy extended a hand towards Gendry and then Arya.

  
He motioned for the two of them to follow him to a desk.

  
“I actually do need help. September and October is always busy around here, harvest time and all. You have your qualifications and paperwork?” He asked.

  
“Here.” Gendry said handing it all over.

  
The man flicked through the paperwork for a few moments before setting it on the desk before him.

  
“You’re 17?” He asked Arya.

  
“I’m nearly 18.” She answered flatly.

  
The man nodded a small smile crossing his lips.

  
“What?” Gendry asked.

  
“No, no, it’s nothing.” The man began. “Just.. well you don’t get many female mechanics, especially ones your age, who seem so.. determined.”

  
“What do you mean?” Gendry frowned.

  
“Nothing mate.” The man smiled to himself.

  
“Gen, maybe we should..” Arya began.

  
“No, no!” The man said kindly. “Sorry, I’m a bit of a dick sometimes. Look I’d actually be glad of your help, both of you. It’s just, you are not like any of the girls around here. I’d love to see one of the Tyrell girls or a Florrent girl tinkering with a car. Those girls never even help with their daddy’s harvests.”

  
“Well, they’re rich girls aren’t they.” Arya cocked her head.

  
Thomas Crane looked at Arya with a knowing look.

  
“Rich girls.” He laughed softly.

 

  
    Crane picked up their paperwork again. Gendry wasn’t sure how he actually knew what papers to pick up, his desk was plastered in paperwork. Crane noticed Gendry looking at all the papers.

  
“Not any good at paperwork are you Gendry?” Crane asked.

  
“Gods no.” Gendry gasped.

  
“Makes two of us.” Crane replied.

  
Arya looked between the two men.

  
“Do you own this place?” She frowned.

  
“Yeah, inherited it when my uncle died a few months back. I’m great with the customers and the vehicles, paperwork though…” The man shook his head.

  
“Do you do your own paperwork?” Arya questioned.

  
“Um.. mostly I set it on my desk and walk away.” He almost blushed.

  
Gendry snorted.

  
“You can’t run a business that way Crane!” Arya almost snapped.

  
“You’d know how to do paperwork though wouldn’t you Miss Waters?” Crane responded.

  
“Mrs.” she replied.

  
“Of course.” The man grinned.

 

  
    “Let me take the two of you for lunch.” Crane said handing Gendry his papers back. “We can have lunch, then sort out what jobs you can do and how long.”

  
Arya shrugged at Gendry.

  
“We’ll go to The Hightown Inn, it’s just down the road.” Crane said standing and shrugging his arms into a coat.

  
Gendry took Arya’s hand as they followed Crane out of the auto-shop.


	52. ARYA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, scroll to below the line for the typed version of the letter.

    “Happy birthday Arya.” Crane said as they walked into the auto-shop the morning of her birthday.

  
“Thank you.” She said narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “What’s that smell?”

  
“My mother baked you a pumpkin pie.” Crane replied.

  
“I’ve never met your mother Thomas.” Arya responded with one eyebrow raised.

  
“Highgarden mothers like cooking.” He shrugged, “And I’ve told her so much about the two of you - she wants you to come around for dinner tonight.”

 

  
    Arya and Gendry had been in Highgarden for six weeks now. It was just the two of them and Crane working at the auto-shop, they were always busy but the three of them got along very well and had become fast friends. Most people in Highgarden seemed either extremely friendly or very snobbish, there was very little in-between. Arya had learned that Thomas Crane was from an old family, his mother had been a famous stage actress as a younger woman, but she gave that up when she had her children. Now she was mostly just a mother and a wife, but still got involved in a lot of local plays as the schools and the theatre in town. Despite never meeting Lady Crane, as Thomas told them everyone called his mother, Arya felt like she already knew the woman.

  
“I mean, unless the two of you already have something planned..” Crane teased.

  
“Nothing that won’t keep.” Gendry responded nonchalantly.

  
“Guess we’re coming to yours for dinner then.” Arya added.

  
“I’ll pick you up at 6.” Crane grinned at the two of them.

  
“I’d best get in the office, paperwork won’t do itself.” Arya said heading away from the two of them.

  
  
    “It’s just going to be us and my mother.” Crane said pulling into a driveway in front of a large stone house. “My father is visiting my younger sister in Mander Maine.”

  
“Mother.” Crane called as he opened the large wooden front door.

  
A woman in her late 40s came forward to greet them, her light brown hair was starting to grey but her green eyes were alive with love and a slight mischief.

  
“Arya, Gendry!” She hugged them both lightly in turn, “I’m so glad to finally meet you, Tommy never stops talking about the two of you.”

  
“Likewise.” Arya smiled politely.

  
“Come on, this way.” Lady Crane reached out to thread her arm through Arya’s.

  
Thomas and Gendry followed them.

  
“Tommy?” Arya heard Gendry snort.

  
“Shut up!” Crane responded.

  
It warmed Arya’s heart to see Gendry bonding with someone other than her, he’d not had that since he left Jon.

 

  
    “Thank you Mrs Crane, that was the best birthday meal either of us have had in.. years.” Arya said almost sadly as they left the house later that evening.

  
“I’m glad sweetling,” Lady Crane smiled warmly at her. “I hope to see you both back here soon, okay?”

  
Arya and Gendry nodded at her.

  
“Best birthday meal in years?” Thomas snorted as the three of them got in his car.

  
“What?” Arya shot at him.

  
“Nothing.” he laughed.

  
Arya gritted her teeth, she could see a half goofy smile on Gendry’s face, which made her relax slightly.

  
  
    “Hey, you look sad.” Gendry said as they entered their apartment after Crane dropped them off.

  
“I’m okay.” She smiled sadly. “Lady Crane just kind of reminded me of my mother.”

  
“Hey, maybe you should write to her? I know it hasn’t been two months since we last wrote, but maybe you should?” He folded his arms up around her shoulders.

  
“Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea.” She whispered into her husband’s chest.

 

 

* * *

 

 

    “Happy birthday Arya.” Crane said as they walked into the auto-shop the morning of her birthday.

  
“Thank you.” She said narrowing her eyes suspiciously. “What’s that smell?”

  
“My mother baked you a pumpkin pie.” Crane replied.

  
“I’ve never met your mother Thomas.” Arya responded with one eyebrow raised.

  
“Highgarden mothers like cooking.” He shrugged, “And I’ve told her so much about the two of you - she wants you to come around for dinner tonight.”

 

  
    Arya and Gendry had been in Highgarden for six weeks now. It was just the two of them and Crane working at the auto-shop, they were always busy but the three of them got along very well and had become fast friends. Most people in Highgarden seemed either extremely friendly or very snobbish, there was very little in-between. Arya had learned that Thomas Crane was from an old family, his mother had been a famous stage actress as a younger woman, but she gave that up when she had her children. Now she was mostly just a mother and a wife, but still got involved in a lot of local plays as the schools and the theatre in town. Despite never meeting Lady Crane, as Thomas told them everyone called his mother, Arya felt like she already knew the woman.

  
“I mean, unless the two of you already have something planned..” Crane teased.

  
“Nothing that won’t keep.” Gendry responded nonchalantly.

  
“Guess we’re coming to yours for dinner then.” Arya added.

  
“I’ll pick you up at 6.” Crane grinned at the two of them.

  
“I’d best get in the office, paperwork won’t do itself.” Arya said heading away from the two of them.

  
  
    “It’s just going to be us and my mother.” Crane said pulling into a driveway in front of a large stone house. “My father is visiting my younger sister in Mander Maine.”

  
“Mother.” Crane called as he opened the large wooden front door.

  
A woman in her late 40s came forward to greet them, her light brown hair was starting to grey but her green eyes were alive with love and a slight mischief.

  
“Arya, Gendry!” She hugged them both lightly in turn, “I’m so glad to finally meet you, Tommy never stops talking about the two of you.”

  
“Likewise.” Arya smiled politely.

  
“Come on, this way.” Lady Crane reached out to thread her arm through Arya’s.

  
Thomas and Gendry followed them.

  
“Tommy?” Arya heard Gendry snort.

  
“Shut up!” Crane responded.

  
It warmed Arya’s heart to see Gendry bonding with someone other than her, he’d not had that since he left Jon.

 

  
    “Thank you Mrs Crane, that was the best birthday meal either of us have had in.. years.” Arya said almost sadly as they left the house later that evening.

  
“I’m glad sweetling,” Lady Crane smiled warmly at her. “I hope to see you both back here soon, okay?”

  
Arya and Gendry nodded at her.

  
“Best birthday meal in years?” Thomas snorted as the three of them got in his car.

  
“What?” Arya shot at him.

  
“Nothing.” he laughed.

  
Arya gritted her teeth, she could see a half goofy smile on Gendry’s face, which made her relax slightly.

  
  
    “Hey, you look sad.” Gendry said as they entered their apartment after Crane dropped them off.

  
“I’m okay.” She smiled sadly. “Lady Crane just kind of reminded me of my mother.”

  
“Hey, maybe you should write to her? I know it hasn’t been two months since we last wrote, but maybe you should?” He folded his arms up around her shoulders.

  
“Yeah, maybe that’s a good idea.” She whispered into her husband’s chest.

* * *

_Mum,_   
  
_I know it hasn’t been two months since we last wrote. But it’s my 18th name day today. I miss you. Gendry and I went to dinner with our friend tonight, his mother cooked for us. And I miss you and dad every day, but being with her, it reminded me of you so much. I miss you, I’m sorry I was never a very good daughter. I guess I’ve never been any good at what I should do. I excel better at things I shouldn’t be doing!_   
  
_So, I’m 18 now. Officially an adult… I don’t get that though, seeing as you can do all sorts of adult things at 16 too. But yeah. I guess I don’t need to tell you all not to look for me anymore?_   
  
_Anyway, Gendry and I are really enjoying where we are at the moment. The auto-shop we’re working in is quite small. There’s only 3 of us there, I think I’m basically running the place, despite only being an apprentice. Crane The boss is useless at paperwork, seriously, when Gendry and I came here first the whole desk was covered with paperwork. He told me he just basically put it there and walked off, half hoping it would just do itself. Men are really idiots sometimes! Anyways, I’m still doing evening classes, I should still get my qualifications as I should have back home. Just here, I don’t have to listen to the whispers of what happened to me. And here, I don’t have to live in the fear of seeing their faces if I walk down the street. Here we can be carefree, here we’re just Arya and Gendry._   
  
_I love you all, I miss you all. I will see you all one day._   
  
_Arya_

 


	53. GENDRY

    “Arya!” Gendry banged on the bathroom door.

  
“Piss off!” She growled back.

  
It was February, they’d been in Highgarden for 5 months now. They were due to leave in one more month, but with every passing week Gendry doubted they’d actually leave. They’d been happy in Nightsong but the happiness they’d found in Highgarden was something else. Spending time with Crane and his family had made Highgarden actually feel like it could be home. He knew it never would be really, but at the same time, home was wherever he was with Arya.

 

  
    Gendry heard Arya throw up again through the bathroom door.

  
“Arya,” he said softly, “Are you okay?”

  
“It’s just a bug. Go to work, tell Crane I’m sorry.” She responded sounding exhausted.

  
“Let me in.” He pleaded.

  
There was a clicking sound and the door opened. Gendry walked in noting Arya curled up by the toilet, her hands were on the bowl and her head resting on her arms.

  
“Arya?” He said quietly bending down next to her.

  
She lifted her face slightly to look at him.

  
“Arya, is it a bug?” he frowned at her.

  
She closed her eyes slowly dropping her head back to her hands, but her face was still turned towards his. He reached out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

  
“Arya,” he prompted softly.

  
“I’m..” she sighed. “I think I might be pregnant.”

  
Even though that was what had been going through Gendry’s mind he still gasped. His eyes didn’t leave her face, her eyes slowly flickered open.

  
“Are you okay? Are you done being sick?” He asked softly.

  
“Maybe.” She replied.

  
“Come on,” he said helping her to her feet. “Sit I’ll get you some water.”

  
“You should go to work.” She said softly as he passed her a glass of water.

  
“No. I’m not leaving you.” He responded immediately.

  
“Gendry.” She sighed. “Go to work.”

  
He studied her face for a few moments, he knew she was as stubborn as him, and there was no way he’d win this argument, so eventually he relented.

  
“I’m taking you to the doctor as soon as I get home though, okay?” He said standing up placing a kiss on her forehead.

 

  
    Gendry had remained collected and calm in the apartment with Arya. But the moment he sat in the car alone a wave of emotions crashed through him. He was scarred, he was excited, he was worried and he thinks he was happy.. He reached up and ran his fingers through his ink black hair. He momentarily closed his eyes, and he saw  himself and Arya with a tiny baby in their arms. The baby had its eyes closed tightly, but it had Arya’s nose and mouth and Gendry’s inky hair. He felt his whole body light up at the mental image.


	54. ARYA

    By time they were due to leave Highgarden Arya was nine weeks pregnant.

  
“Do you think there’s point us leaving?” Gendry asked resting a hand on her stomach. It was still flat, but if you knew you could see a slight swell beginning to form.

  
Arya shrugged.

  
“Crane knows us, you’re not going to be able to do heavy work, at least here you can still be useful with all his paperwork. He hasn’t found anyone yet. And like he said, the business had been going so much better since we got here.” Gendry said.

  
“Yeah.. but..” She paused, they’d been here six months. It’s what they’d agreed since they left King’s Landing. 6 months in one place was long enough to not get discovered. But they were both adults now, and Gendry had made a valid point.

  
“Yeah, maybe it’s time we stopped running.” She said placing her own hand on her stomach.

  
      
    Most things continued as they’d been going before. Except now Crane and Gendry were both extra protective of her.

  
“No Arya! Don’t pick that up.” Gendry would fuss it she picked up anything heavier than a pen.

  
“Awh fuck off Gendry, I’m not a fucking invalid!” She’d snap back. She loved that Gendry was protective and caring, but she hated not being able to do things.

 

  
    One day she’d finished all the paperwork and begun to tidy the office up. She exited the office to continue the tidying in the auto-shop.

  
“No, no! Back to the office!” Crane fussed.

  
“What the fuck?” She snapped at her boss.

  
“Don’t come in here, it’s all dirty!”

  
“Yes.. hence I was going to clean it.”

  
“No, no Arya, back to the desk.”

  
“Fuck Crane! I’ve finished ALL the paperwork and cleaned the office. I’m a grown fucking woman, leave me to do what I want to do.” She stormed past him out into the parking lot where she screamed towards the sky before walking back inside.

  
Gendry and Crane were both frowning at her.

  
“You two are worse than old ladies!” She declared with a hand on her swollen stomach before storming back to the office and slamming the door.


	55. HIGHGARDEN LETTERS

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, skip to below the first line break for the typed version.

Second month:

Fourth month:

Sixth month:

Eight month:

Tenth month:

Twelfth month:

* * *

Second month:

* * *

  
**Davos & Marya,**   
  
**Im still practicing my reading and writing. Gettin better, still useless, Arya says its probably harder learnin at my age anyway.**   
**We really love where we are at the moment. The auto-shop is small, just us and the bos. He’s a grate guy, we’re havin fun at work. Arya does lots of paperwork - she don’t mind. She’s really the bos to be fare. But isn’t she allways?**   
**Missin you both.**   
  
**Gendry**   
  


* * *

  
Fourth month:

* * *

  
_Sansa,_  
  
 _I wonder what you’re doing every time I walk past a tall girl with auburn hair. There seem to be a lot of them here. None are as pretty as you though. Some days I really wish I had my big sister with me._ **If your wondering, yes, she is getting soft. I think she’s missing femail influencis most of the time, not that she’d let on really.** _*rolls eyes* Apparently I’m not allowed to even say I miss someone any more. And yet that’s mostly all I seem to do in these letters. I always wonder why I even bother writing them._  
 _Maybe just a letter saying “WE’RE ALIVE” would serve us all better?_  
  
 _Anyways, miss you and love you._  
  
 _Arya & (a nosy prying)_ **Gendry (that’s mean, right..?)**  
  


* * *

  
Sixth month:

* * *

  
_Jon,_  
  
 _I’ve never liked predictability. People can pick you off when you’re predictable. I’ve always tried to zig zag or go in the opposite direction if I think people expect something of me. Predictability is what’s fucked me in the past. Both times I was attacked, they knew I was always the last girl to leave the locker rooms. Fuck predictable. Guess that’s why we swore to change places every six months when we left Kings Landing. And we have. But running is getting tiring. So we’re trying something new. We’re staying put for now - but don’t try and find us. We’re not there yet. We still need to be left unfound. We’re getting there. I’m getting there. Gendry just does whatever I want, to be fair._ **Im not sure if that’s meant to be good or if she’s sayin I just follow her.** _Why did I teach him to read and write? I meant it in a good way. I mean that he literally would do anything for me, and I love him for it, but I think he could have, would have, gone back home at any point had I wanted to. But for me, it’s different. I miss you all, and yet it’s not been enough to take away my fears._  
  
 _But we’re happy, so that’s all that really counts at the end of the day, right? We’re all healthy and doing well. I hope you are too._  
  
Arya & **Gendry**  
  


* * *

  
Eighth month:

* * *

  
_Robb,_   
  
_Hey big brother. Life is kinda good here, life is weird right, nothing seems to be as I would have expected it as a child. I guess I wouldn’t like predictable though._   
  
_I miss you all. I can’t help but wonder what you’re all doing now and how you all look now. I guess you haven’t changed all that much, after all you were a man grown when I left. But Bran and Rickon, I’d bet I wouldn’t recognise them now! I’m sorry I’m still doing this to you all, but I hope you all understand, or at least accept that I had to do what I did._   
  
_Maybe I’ll see you not too soon. Maybe, one day anyways. I really am missing you all more and more by the day._   
  
_Arya_

* * *

  
Tenth month:

* * *

  
_Mum,_   
  
_With every passing day I appreciate you more and more, I’m sorry I was a horrible daughter, and that running away has probably made that worse. I hope I can make it up to you one day._   
  
_I love you and miss you more and more with every passing day. I hope that I_   
  
_Anyways, I’ve officially finished my education now! Just waiting on the results. Still got a while to go on my apprenticeship though. Although, I think I mostly just do paperwork these days._   
  
_Arya_   
  


* * *

  
Twelfth month:

* * *

  
_Bran,_   
  
_Hello you child genius you. I’m hoping you got all As on your end of year exams, I guess you’ll be back at school by now. So good luck this year. I got all As this year! Even in chemistry, who knew I had it in me! >I was going to make a joke about it, but you’re probably still too young for that<_   
  
_Make sure no one gives you a hard time. If they do, tell me when I return and I’ll sort them out. OR tell Robb and Jon that I said there’s no way they could sort it out… that would probably work :) Well, unless they hate me now, it would have worked before I left. Try it though._   
  
_I love you sweet summer child. Talking of referencing your birthday, Gendry is 20 now. 20! Wow, talk about old ;)_   
  
_Maybe we’ve been gone too long.._   
  
_Arya_

 


	56. GENDRY

    Both their birthday’s had come and gone during their time in Highgarden. As with Arya’s 18th name day, Gendry’s 20th and Arya’s 19th were both spent at the Crane home. Arya had stopped working at the auto-shop by this point, mostly because of his and Crane’s constant fussing over her. She still insisted that he bought home the paperwork every night, she just did it from their apartment. Arya had become more stomach than anything else as they celebrated her name day that October with Crane, his parents and his younger brother, William.

 

  
    “I’m going to miss my birthday pumpkin pies when I go back home Mrs Crane.” Arya said helping herself to a second slice of pie with a smile.

  
“You can always visit, I’ll give you the recipe too sweetling.” Lady Crane smile fondly.

  
“When will you be going back home?” Mr Crane asked setting his wine glass down.

  
“January, for my mother’s birthday.” Arya responded.

  
“Have you told them yet?” Mrs Crane inquired.

  
Arya shook her head, Gendry rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

  
“It’ll be a big surprise.” Thomas laughed.

  
“You think.” Gendry grinned at his friend.

  
Gendry felt Arya stiffen slightly at his side, he frowned at her briefly but she smiled, he reached out and took her hand. Her other hand resting lightly on her swollen stomach.

 

  
    “I’m getting tired.” Arya whispered to him.

  
Gendry peered down at her watch.

  
“We’d better get going!” He declared standing up, reaching out to help Arya to her feet. She narrowed her eyes at him briefly, but they both knew she’d be there for ten minutes trying to stand by herself, so she relented and took his hands.

  
“Thank you all for the lovely evening, as usual.” Arya said turning to each of the four Cranes.

  
“See you tomorrow Gendry.” Thomas said lifting a glass in their direction.

  
Lady Crane rose and walked the two of them to the front door. She pulled them both in soft a hug and lightly caressed Arya’s stomach.

  
“You make sure you tell us before you leave, alright young lady.” She said kissing Arya lightly on the cheek.

  
Arya smiled slightly and nodded.

 

  
    “I’m going to miss them when we leave.” Gendry said in the car on the way home.

  
“That’s why we weren’t meant to stay in any place too long.” Arya winced as she shifted her weight slightly.

  
“You okay?” He asked worried.

  
“Uh huh,” she mumbled. “Just uncomfortable. This kid is probably like half my body weight.”

  
“Sorry.” Gendry smiled sheepishly at her.


	57. ARYA

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, go to the page break for the typed version.

    Arya should have written a letter back home last week, the same week as her birthday, but she’d been putting it off. Several times she’d picked up the paper and a pen, but each time she’d fold the paper over and cast it aside. She checked her watch, Gendry would be home from work soon. She winced in slight pain, she’d been experiencing pains all day, nothing too severe though. She bit her lip and unfolded the letter.

 

* * *

    Arya should have written a letter back home last week, the same week as her birthday, but she’d been putting it off. Several times she’d picked up the paper and a pen, but each time she’d fold the paper over and cast it aside. She checked her watch, Gendry would be home from work soon. She winced in slight pain, she’d been experiencing pains all day, nothing too severe though. She bit her lip and unfolded the letter.  
  
 ~~ _Dad,_~~  
 ~~ _Jon,_~~  
 ~~ _Mum,_~~  
 ~~ _Sansa,_~~  
  
 _Rickon,_  
  
 _Do you remember when you told me that the kids at school were saying you were too small and skinny to play rugby? And I told you to tell them where to shove it, and that I’d teach you that some of the best rugby players are the small ones. No one expects us to be dangerous, it’s an advantage for a time! You and I trained for two weeks, then you went back and told the kids they were idiots and that you would be a better player than them one day. And then you got your arm broken by them. I was SO scared when that happened. I blamed myself. I thought it was my fault that my baby brother had been hurt, that was the most scared I’d ever been in my ~~life before now~~. __But you showed them in the end._  
  
 _I bet you’re ~~bigger than me by now!~~ taller than me now! I think someone put something in my food as a kid to stop me growing. I mean, look at Sansa and Robb! I can’t really say about you and Bran, you were both too young when I left._  
  
 _I’m.. I miss you baby brother, maybe we’ll see you soon. Gendry would probably say hi, he’s still at work though._  
  
 _I love you all._  
  
 _Arya_

 


	58. GENDRY

    “What does she look like?” Arya panted in exhaustion.

  
Gendry smoothed his wife’s hair flat as he brought the babe down to her breast, laying her in her mothers arms. Arya’s arms went around the babe, but Gendry left his own hands near his wife’s. She looked like she could pass out at any moment, she’d laboured for close to 9 hours her face was flushed, clammy and covered in sweat.

  
“She’s..” Arya begun.

  
“..Perfect.” Gendry finished for her.

  
He looked down at his wife and his daughter and something within him seemed to snap. Tears began to stream down his cheeks. She was beautiful. She had his ink black hair and her mothers nose and lips, just as he’d imagined, and her eyes flashed open to reveal his own blue eyes staring up at him. He’d known for years that he’d do anything for Arya, but looking down at the two of them now, Gendry knew he’d move mountains for them both.

  
He allowed himself to sink into a chair beside his wife’s hospital bed, he just beamed at the two of them.

  
“Perfect.” He sighed.

  
Arya tore her gaze away from the babe hungrily feeding at her breast, her gaze landed on his face taking in his tears.

  
“Stupid bull.” She grinned at him.


	59. ARYA

    “You’re sure you just want me to drop you off?” Gendry said peering over to his wife and daughter.

  
“Yes, you have to go see Davos and Marya. Join us once you’re done.” She leaned over to kiss him briefly.

  
She stepped out of the car, her daughter was bound to her chest with a sling, she wrapped her coat around the two of them, leaving a little gap for the babe to breathe, it was January and cold, although not as cold as the January’s of Arya’s childhood back in The North. She reached down for a bag containing nappies and other baby things.

  
“We’ll be fine, just don’t take too long, okay?” She smiled at Gendry.

  
She watched her husband drive off before turning back to the house.

  
“We’ll be fine, right baba.” She murmured down to her chest.

  
  
    “Arya?” Her mother’s voice hitched as she opened the front door.

  
“Happy birthday mother.” Arya replied with a small smile.

  
Her mother was dumbstruck, she just stood there staring at her. Arya stepped forward to embrace her.

  
“Oh Arya.” Her mother cooed into her hair.

  
“I’ve got you a present.” Arya responded.

  
“Come in, it’s cold out here.” Her mother said reaching for her hand to pull her inside. She took Arya’s bag off her shoulder, Arya began to remove her coat when the babe awoke with a small cry.

  
“Shh.” Arya cooed.

  
“Arya?” Her mother had frozen.

  
Arya removed the babe from her sling, she looked down at her sweet face lovingly before offering her to her mother.

  
“Her name is Nymeria.”

  
“Nymeria.” Her mother echoed.

 

  
    Her mother walked into the family room with Nymeria in her arms and sat down on a sofa. Arya folded herself into a chair next to them.

  
“Some of the things you were saying in your last letters are making sense now.” Her mother said glancing at her.

  
Arya reached out and pushed a strand of Nymeria’s inky black locks across her forehead, sometimes Arya didn’t quite believe the babe was real when she wasn’t touching her.

  
“Where is everyone?” Arya asked.

  
“Think they’re sorting my birthday present. Won’t beat yours though will it.” Her mother beamed at her. “She’s truly beautiful Arya.”

  
“I know. She looks so much like Gendry.” Arya sighed.

  
“Hm,” her mother peered over to her, Arya noticed her eyes land on her left hand, “And where is your husband?”

  
Arya smiled coyly, “Sorry we didn’t say anything. About any of it. He’ll be here soon, he’s gone to see Davos and Marya.”

  
“Okay.” Her mother responded.

  
“Mum, can you.. I just need to go to the bathroom.” Arya said nodding at Nymeria.

  
Arya watched her mother frown at her for a moment.

  
“Don’t worry mum, I’m not going to run away.. Not without my daughter anyways.”

  
“Arya, it’s not even funny.”

  
“Too soon?” She laughed gently.

  
  
    Arya heard people coming into the house whilst she was in the bathroom. She carefully crept out of the bathroom, across the hall to stand in the door of the family room. She watched in silence as her whole family gawked at Nymeria. Arya bit her lower lip, thinking what to say.

  
Nymeria gurgled as if realising her mother was now present, everyone’s heads snapped up towards Arya in unison.

  
“Hi daddy.” She said softly.

  
She took in her father, he looked exactly as he had when she’d left, but she had no doubt that he was now looking at a different daughter to the one who had left.

  
“Arya.” He breathed softly through his frown, before he launched himself towards her. He swept her up in his arms squeezing her tight and spinning her around.

  
“Why didn’t you..” He begun.

  
What was he going to ask? Why didn’t you come home? Why didn’t you tell us you got married? Why didn’t you tell us you were pregnant? Why didn’t you tell us you had a baby? Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?

  
He never finished what he was going to say. He stepped back from her, his one hand went around to rest on the back of her head and he looked down at her.

  
“I’m glad you’re home, Little Wolf.” He smiled softly.

  
Nymeria gurgled again bringing the rooms attention back to her.

  
“She looks like Gendry.” Sansa said sitting next to their mother.

  
“Where is he?” Robb asked.

  
Arya ignored them both and turned to her younger brothers. They’d been 8 and 12 when she’d left, now they were 11 and 15. Bran was practically a man grown, and Rickon was no longer a baby. Not that he’d been a baby when she left.

  
“What was the joke you were going to tell me, I think I’m old enough.” Bran said to her.

  
A grin spread across her face as her mind drifted back to the penultimate letter she’d sent home.

  
“I’ll tell you later.” Mischief glistened in her eyes.

 

  
    Everyone settled into seats around the room beginning to catch up with Arya. Arya noticed Nymeria begin to squirm in her mothers arms reaching her arms upwards.

  
“I think she’s hungry.” Arya said softly reaching out for the babe.

  
“I’ll go make us some drinks.” Her mother said passing Nymeria over.

  
“Mum, it’s your birthday. Stay, I’ll make the drinks.” Sansa said standing up. “Come on, you two can help.” She said to Bran and Rickon.

  
The doorbell rang as Nymeria latched onto her breast. Her dad moved to answer the door.

  
“You look so comfortable with her.” Robb noted from across the room. He was sat on the arm of a sofa, arms crossed on his chest.

  
Arya caressed the back of her daughters head.

  
“I am, I guess.” she responded looking down at the babe. “I don’t think about what I’m doing, my body just knows..”

  
Arya noticed her mother grinning at her.

  
“What?” She laughed.

  
“You’ve changed so much.” She said softly.

 

  
    “Gendry Waters.” Robb boomed as Gendry and their father walked into the room. He crossed to Gendry and pulled him into a hug. “Think you’ve got a lot of explaining to do, mate.”

  
Arya rolled her eyes at Robb trying to be the protective big brother.

  
“Might be a bit late for that.” Gendry replied rubbing the back of his neck. “Hello Mrs Stark, happy birthday.”

  
“Gendry, I’ve told you to call me Catelyn.” her mother chided her husband. “Especially now.”

 

  
    As Nymeria finished feeding Gendry took her from Arya’s arms, he reached for a cloth from her bag and laid it over his shoulder and proceeded to rub Nymeria’s back. Arya had found that being a father had come naturally to Gendry, Nymeria had him wrapped around her little finger. Arya smiled at the two of them briefly before standing and stretching her arms and legs.

  
“I’ll let them know to make you a drink too.” Arya said walking into the kitchen.


	60. EDDARD

    Ned was overjoyed to have his daughter back home, even if she’d returned as a married woman and a mother. But even that made him smile. Gendry was a good man, Ned had liked him since the first day he’d met him at Davos’ auto-shop. Ned had his suspicions about who the boy’s father was when he’d met him, especially with the coincidence of him being Davos’ ward. But looking down at little Nymeria in his arms, Ned was sure now. The deep blue eyes and ink-black hair were sure give-aways, on one of them it may have been a pure coincidence, but on two generations, he was sure of Gendry’s father now.

 

  
    “Are you three staying?” Ned asked Arya.

  
“We were going to look for somewhere to live, we’ve got our jobs back with Davos.” Gendry replied.

  
“Look for somewhere to live?” Catelyn echoed.

  
“No. You’ll move in here.” Ned responded firmly.

  
He and Cat loved having their family at home, and there was no way he was going to let them go pay to live somewhere 5 minutes away when he had a house with several empty bedrooms.

  
“We’re..” Arya begun, but stopped when she noticed her fathers expression.

  
Ned watched Arya and Gendry share a look, it was almost like the two of them could communicate telepathically.

  
“Okay, we’ll move in. For now.” Arya said.

  
“Do you have your things with you?” Cat asked.

  
“They’re in the car.” Gendry motioned to the drive.

  
“Robb and Bran will give you a hand, take them up to Arya’s old room.” Cat answered.

  
“Rickon’s old crib should still be in the attic shouldn’t it?” Ned asked Cat as the boys walked out.

  
“Should be, I’ll send Robb and Gendry to look  when they get back.”

 

  
    “Is that seriously all you own Arya?” Sansa asked as Robb, Gendry and Bran walked back in with 5 bags.

  
Arya shrugged.

  
“That’s.. sad.” Her sister blinked.

  
“We’ve wanted for nothing.” Arya just laughed. “It’s easier to travel lightly when you move around.”

  
Ned shook his head at the girls, even after all this time they were still so different.

  
      
    Ned was walking around the halls with little Nymeria, everyone had begun to scatter through the house. Robb and Gendry had brought Rickon’s old crib down into Arya’s room and Sansa and Cat were digging out bedding. Rickon and Bran had disappeared, they were probably both upstairs playing games. Robb was out picking Jon up and Arya and Gendry were sprawled on a sofa together.

 

  
    The doorbell rang. Ned made his way to the door, on opening it he was greeted by the beaming face of his lifelong best friend and colleague Prime Minister Robert Baratheon.

  
“Robert.” He greeted stepping aside to let the man in.

  
“Where’s the beautiful Catelyn? I brought her a birthday present.” He declared nodding to the large box bouquet of flowers in his arms.

  
“She’s just sorting some stuff out.” Ned replied looking down at Nymeria.

  
Robert set the flowers down and his eyes flickered to the babe.

  
“Gods Ned! Looks like one of mine.” He jested.

  
Ned caressed the babe’s cheek, her bright blue eye flickered up to his face. He’d been with her for only a few hours, and she was already the centre of his universe.

  
“Ned,” Robert said more seriously. “Who’s babe is that?”

  
“Come on.” Ned said walking towards the family room.

 

  
    As they walked into the room Arya was half sat in Gendry’s lap pulling his face towards hers to kiss. Ned wasn’t entirely comfortable, but he was happy that his little girl was happy, and it wasn’t like the two of them weren’t married or anything!


	61. GENDRY

    Gendry was on one of the sofas in the Stark family room, Arya was half led in his lap peering up into his eyes.

  
“What?” He whispered softly.

  
“Feels alien.. not having her in one of our arms.” She laughed.

  
“Don’t think we’ll be getting her back off your parents easily.” Gendry joked.

  
“Best make the most of it then.” Arya said reaching up to pull his face down to her own. She kissed him hard and passionately. For a few moments he forgot he was in the Stark family room in a house full of Arya’s family.

 

  
    “The little wolf pup has returned!” A voice boomed.

  
Arya pulled away from his lips with a soft sigh, but briefly pressed a last soft kiss to them.

  
She stood up inclining her head to the man that had spoke. Gendry looked at the man and instantly recognised him, he rose to his feet too.

  
“Prime Minister.” Arya said mockingly.

  
Gendry just looked at the man, watching his eyes flicker from Nymeria in Ned’s arms to Arya, and finally his gaze settled on Gendry. Gendry held the mans gaze. Their blue eyes were practically identical.

  
“Why do I always walk in on you having staring contests with people Gendry?” Jon’s voice called out as he walked into the room.

  
Gendry and Arya both turned to face him.

  
“He always looses too!” Arya replied with a laugh before launching herself at her cousin. Gendry watched as the boy wrapped his arms around her.

  
“Missed you little cousin.” Jon said into his wife’s hair, “Even with your rambling letters.”

  
Arya laughed as she stepped back from his embrace.

  
Jon turned to Gendry with a big grin spreading over both of their faces.

  
“Brother.” Jon greeted holding his arms out for him.

 

  
    “Eddard,” Robert’s voice was serious, “What’s going on?”

  
Gendry peered back to the two older men. Robert noticed Gendry’s attention on him.

  
“Your name is Gendry?” Robert asked him.

  
Gendry reached out to take Nymeria from Ned, the feeling of her in his arms grounded him.

  
“Yes sir.” he said bringing his lips to his daughters forehead.

  
“And she’s yours?” He nodded to Nymeria.

  
Gendry nodded and Arya stood at his side placing a hand on his arm.

  
“Eddard,” Robert said slowly, “Did you know?”

  
Gendry’s eyes snapped to Ned Stark. He had no idea what was going on.

  
“I had my suspicions, but when I saw the babe, I think that confirmed it.” Ned answered seriously.

  
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?” Gendry asked.

  
“Fuck.” Arya swore thumping down onto the sofa behind her.

  
Gendry looked over his shoulder to see his wife with her head in her hands.

  
“Think we all need to talk.” Eddard said.


	62. ARYA

    “Davos is on his way and he has Gendry’s files.” Her dad said entering the dinning room.

  
Gendry and Arya were sat on one side of the table and Robert was sat opposite them, the three of them were sat there in silence. Her dad took his usual seat at the head of the table.

  
“Oh cool, you’re not talking yet.” Sansa said entering the room. “Arya, I think your daughter needs changing.”

  
“Nappies are in the bag, learn a new trade Aunt Sansa.” She tossed back over her shoulder.

  
Sansa gasped slightly and Arya chuckled.

  
“I’ll change her.” Gendry rose from his seat.

 

  
    Arya watched Gendry walk from the room, once she was certain he was gone, she lent forward, her elbows were on the table and she propped her chin on her open palms, staring across at Robert Baratheon.

  
“You hurt either of them, and I’ll fucking gut you, got it? I don’t care that you’re the Prime Minister.” Arya said almost sweetly.

  
“Arya.” Her dad sighed.

  
“How long have you know?” Robert narrowed his eyes at her.

  
“Since _‘Your name is Gendry?’_ and _‘She’s yours?’_.” Arya responded sitting up straight.

  
“How old is she?” Robert asked softer.

  
“3 months.” Arya responded.

  
“And how long.. have the two of you been.. together?”

  
Arya shrugged.

  
Her father gave her a look to say just answer.

  
“We’ve been married just over two years. Guess it’s harder to say how long we’ve been together, it more or less just happened.”

 

  
    “Davos is here.” Gendry said returning to his chair.

  
Davos walked into the room a few moment later, Arya smiled and sprung to her feet.

  
“Nice to see you Sir.” She beamed at him.

  
“Come ere’ my little lass.” He replied pulling her in for a hug. “You good? Just seen the babe, she’s as beautiful as you.”

  
Arya blushed slightly and sat back down.

  
“Told you.” Gendry whispered in her ear.

  
“Cock.” She whispered back and he grasped her hand tightly.

  
  
    “So what’s happening?” Gendry asked as Davos sat down. “I feel like I’m in trouble..”

  
Arya squeezed his hand to tell him he was an idiot. But also to reassure him that she was there.

  
“Ugh, Gendry. I know you said you didn’t want your files,” Davos slid a large brown envelope before Gendry, “But maybe you should. If not for you, for Nymeria.”

  
“What’s this got to do with Nym?” Gendry asked looking from the envelope to Arya.

  
Arya looked away from her husbands gaze to the envelope then to Robert.

  
“It’ll tell you who your father is won’t it.” Arya said coldly, her eyes not leaving Robert.

  
“I don’t care.” He replied.

  
“If it was just you,” she turned to her husband, “I’d set fire to that envelope right now, but maybe Nym deserves to know? Maybe your dad was an arsehole to you, he abandoned you, but maybe he could make up for it? Maybe he could actually be a half decent Grandfather?”

  
Gendry studied her face for a moment. He frowned and picked the envelope up. Arya watched as he bit down on his bottom lip and turned the envelope over in his hands.

  
“For Nym.” He said gently glancing up at Arya.


	63. GENDRY

    Gendry slowly slid the paper out of the envelope Davos had handed him. He really didn’t care what it said. His father had abandoned him when he was four years old and his mum had died. What kind of man does that? His father from what he remembered only used to visit at Christmas and his birthday, so even in the four short years he’d been somewhat present, he’d still been a shitty dad. But Arya’s words about Nymeria had swayed him. Thinking of his daughter Gendry could not understand how a man could abandon his child, just being two rooms away from her right now was bad enough.

 

  
    Gendry pulled the papers from the envelope and begun to read them slowly. He tried not to move his lips as he read, knowing everyone's eyes were on him. Rage built in him as he read the documents, most of it he didn’t understand at all but he understood enough.

  
“Does this say what I think?” He asked Arya quietly thrusting the sheets into her hands.

  
She peered down at them, her eyes briefly scanning the papers. She looked up at him and nodded.

  
He gripped the table with both his hands, his shoulders tensed and his jaw set.

  
“Ours is the fury, indeed.” Arya muttered tossing the papers across the table at Gendry’s father.

  
Arya laid a hand on his back and began to rub circles into his back trying to get him to relax.

  
“This,” Gendry motions to the sheets, “Changes nothing for me.”

 

  
    “I’m sorry.” Robert began.

  
Gendry snapped his head up to meet the man's eyes, he ran his eyes across his face. The man was a lot heavier than Gendry and his hair and beard were greying, but he could see the similarities in their faces. Mainly the jaw and eyes. The very same eyes his baby looked at him with.

  
“It’s not fucking good enough!” Gendry snapped.

  
“She stopped responding to me..” Robert started.

  
“She fucking died. Dropped me off at school one morning, then after school she didn’t turn up. My teacher got worried, despite the fact that she was a single-mum, my mam was always one of the first parents there at the end of the day. I waited and waited, and she didn’t come. Eventually a police officer turned up with a middle aged couple. I was told I was going home with them. I cried, I never cried, I just wanted my fucking mam. I sat in the car, the bloke drove and the woman sat holding my hand as I cried for my mam. Later when I was at their house, they explained they’d be looking after me for a few weeks. They told me my mam had died. She asked if I understood. I shook my head. She said it meant that she was gone, she’d gotten ill and wasn’t with us any more. I asked if that meant she didn’t love me any more. No, no she loved you the lady responded, she didn’t leave willingly. I asked if I’d see her again.. no they told me. But there’d be a funeral for me to say goodbye, and I could visit her grave and talk to a stone. They said she couldn’t answer me, and she probably couldn’t hear me, but it could help all the same. I was four..” Gendry felt tears stinging his eyes.

  
“I.. I..” Robert stuttered.

  
Gendry let Arya wrap her tiny arms around his body, she reached up and wiped away a tear that began to drop from one of his eyes.

  
“I..” Robert began again.

  
Gendry felt Arya’s body stiffen against his.

  
“You what?” She growled across the table pulling away from Gendry.

  
“I didn’t know.” He said quietly.

  
“That’s a fucking pathetic excuse. Did you even try?” Arya pressed.

  
“I.. she.. I thought she just didn’t want me in their lives any more.” Robert responded.

  
“That’s weak as. If Gendry went off and took Nym with him, I’d fucking fight to the ends of the earth to get back to her. Because that’s what parents do. It doesn’t matter about the other person, what matters is that Gendry was your 4 year old son, you should have fought.” Arya all but screamed at him.

  
“I’m..” Robert began.

  
“Nah mate, no, I don’t want any of your bullshit excuses. I figured all that basic shit out the moment the doctor told me I was pregnant. And you couldn’t figure it out for a four year old. Bet you still haven’t figured it out.”

 

  
    Gendry reached out and held Arya’s hand tightly. He was thankful for her standing up for him, he couldn’t trust himself to talk right now.

  
“Gendry,” Robert said almost softly. “I want to try and make it up to you.”

  
Gendry’s eyes snapped up to the man.

  
“How?” Gendry said flatly.

  
“I.. well I don’t really know how, but I want to try.” Robert responded.

 

  
    Gendry stood abruptly.

  
“I need to… clear my head..” He trailed off walking out of the room and out the front door. It was cold out and he was in a pair of jeans and a hoodie. He spun around momentarily then began to run out across a field. 


	64. ARYA

    After Gendry took off from the room Arya stood up, she face Robert Baratheon and fixed him with a cold glare.

  
“You want some help?” She asked.

  
Robert scanned her face, once he realised it was a sincere offer he nodded.

  
“You be Nymeria’s grandfather. It’s as simple as that, family is everything to Gendry. You treat our daughter like you should, and he might be able to come around to you.” She told him before turning to leave.

 

  
    Once she left the room she grabbed her coat off a hook and went out of the door like she’d heard Gendry do a few minutes earlier. She looked around trying to see where he’d gone.

Suddenly she heard him scream from across the field, she took off in that direction.

  
  
    “Gendry.” She panted slightly, she hadn’t returned to full fitness after her pregnancy and the cold air made running harder too.

  
“Hi.” He said softly turning to her.

  
“You okay?”

  
“I can’t believe him.”

  
“He’s a nob Gen! He might be my dad’s best mate, but the guy is an arsehole.”

  
“What if I turn out like him?” Gendry spat.

  
“ _You_ ,” Arya grasped both of his hands, “Will never be like him. _You_ are _everything_ he is not. Our daughter is only 3 months old, and yet you’re already a better father than he’s been in 20 odd years.”

 

  
    “Come on. Let’s head back.” Arya said pulling at his hand.

  
“Do you believe him?” Gendry almost whispered.

  
“Which bit?”

  
“That he wants to try and make it up to me?”

  
“I believe it.” She paused, “Doesn’t mean I trust him though.”

  
“That makes two of us.” He agreed.

  
  
    As they walked through the front door Rickon nearly crashed into Arya and Gendry, he threw his arms around them both.

  
“Thought you’d ran away again.” He said.

  
Arya grasped his chin lightly, pulling it down softly to meet her eyes. Her grey eyes searched his blue eyes briefly.

  
“Did us leaving really affect you that much Rick?” She asked softly.

  
The boy just shrugged.

  
“Put it this way Rickon, we’re going nowhere if we haven’t got Nymeria.” Gendry reassured the boy placing a hand on his shoulder.

  
“Okay.” he nodded.

 

  
    The three of them walked into the family room, Arya’s eyes immediately searched for Nymeria. She found her daughter in Roberts arms, she tensed momentarily, then noticed the close eye her sister was keeping on them. Arya strode over to Sansa and sat on the floor beside the poufe her sister sat on.

  
“Well isn’t this a cosy family gathering.” Arya said softly to her sister.

  
“Hm.” Sansa replied, clearly unimpressed.

  
Arya sat monitoring Nymeria closely, she was sleeping, it didn’t really seem to bother her that she’s been passed from pillar to post today.

  
“Is it me or has this been the longest day known to man?” Arya asked flopping down so she was led on the floor.

  
“It’s good to know motherhood hasn’t made you any less dramatic Arya.” Robb grinned down at her before joining her on the floor.

  
“You’d think mum would paint some stars up here or something.” Arya said waving an arm at the ceiling.

  
“Don’t worry sis, I’ll get on to an artist first thing. Anything to keep you here huh!” Robb responded lightly elbowing her in the ribs.

  
“Are you two on something?” Sansa said frowning down at them.

  
Robb and Arya laughed at that, Robb wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

  
“I missed you little wolf.” he grinned at her. 


	65. GENDRY

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm having a major freak out before posting this, because I just realised that this is the FINAL chapter. I'm heart broken, this story has been my baby, like I have poured SO much time, effort and love into this fic. 
> 
> Also.... additionally, I am going to write additional kind of spin off chapters with other people's points of view because a couple of people have asked for it, but I'm not sure when they'll be.

    Arya and Gendry had learned how to be adaptable the past few years, so slipped into this new-old life with relative ease. Gendry started back at the auto-shop with Davos. The place hadn’t changed a bit, just some of the boys had moved on and had been replaced with different ones. Arya kept complaining because he wouldn’t let her return to work for another two weeks.

  
Being at home was great for Nymeria, she had someone paying her attention all day long. Even Robert was making an effort. Gendry mostly gave him the cold shoulder when he was around, but he and Arya were happy that he was at least making an effort with Nymeria.

  
  
    One Saturday Gendry was off work, he and Arya were sat at the dining room table with a book in front of them. Cat and Sansa had taken Nymeria out shopping with them, Eddard was away for work, Robb was out with a friend and Bran and Rickon were playing games upstairs. The house was for once quiet.

  
“Awesome!” Arya said leaning across to kiss Gendry after he finished a whole page of the book with relative ease.

  
He flashed her a goofy grin, the book was still a kids book, but it was actually one of Rickon's so it showed the process he was making.

  
“You’ll be reading books to Nym before long.” Arya kissed him again.

  
“What can I say?” He sighed, “I have a really good teacher.”

  
Arya laughed and kissed him again, her hand running from his chest down towards his crotch.

  
“Ar-ya.” He breathed in warning.

  
She raised one perfect eyebrow at him, a sure way for him to loose his composure.

  
“Fuck.” he swore, “Don’t ever become an actual teacher, okay? You’re methods, whilst effective are highly controversial.”

  
“Oh yeah?” She asked standing up.

  
She began to walk away from him, towards the doorway, Gendry just watched her walk away.

  
“Bring your book,” she said over her shoulder, “I’ve got another method if you can read the next page.”

  
“Shit!” He muttered to himself as she began to walk up the stairs. He jumped up grabbing his book and began to follow her, his cock had already started to harden in his pants. “Shit.”

 

  
    He walked into the room where Arya was sat on the edge of the bed.

  
“Come on, read.” she prompted.

  
He turned away from her and begun to read out loud to her. He fought to keep his gaze firmly on the book as he knew what she was doing behind him.

  
He finished the page and placed the book on the desk under the window, he deftly removed his t-shirt and turned around to face her. She was on the bed in just her underwear. Gendry took a moment to inspect her body. Her eyes fixing him with an amused cool glare, his eyes ran down her neck to her perfect breasts which were swollen and enough to make him instantly hard. His eyes kept going across the slight swell of her perfect stomach, across her hips and down her legs.

  
“Arya.” He groaned stepping towards her.

  
“Gendry.” She grinned at him.

  
He swiftly removed both his jeans and pants, kneeling on the bed and reaching out to pull Arya up in front of him. He immediately unlatched her bra, his gaze fully taking in her breasts. He lightly kissed them, knowing he should leave them alone, they weren’t for him at the moment. But she groaned at the kisses all the same. His hands found their way to her hips where he swiftly removed her knickers.

  
He sighed heavily and brought one hand around to reach between his wife’s legs. He began to play with her slowly and gently first, but the moment she reached down to take his cock in her left hand he increased his pace and depth. They both reached climax relatively quickly, but Gendry was still rock hard and wasn’t leaving it there. He pinned her down to the bed and thrust himself deeply into her. She groaned in pleasure against his ear, wrapping her legs around his hips as he thrusted.

  
  
    The two of them were lounging on the bed still naked when the doorbell rang.

  
“Awh fuck off!” Arya cursed pulling her underwear back on. She stuck her head out of the bedroom door.

  
“Bran!” She called out. “Get the door.”

“Why can’t you?” He asked.

  
“I’m busy, do as I say!”  She called.

  
“You’re not my mother, and I know what busy means.”

  
“I’m sure you do! Just get the bloody door.” She yelled before slamming the door.

 

  
    “Such diplomacy.” Gendry purred at her.

  
She flipped him off and continued to get dressed. Once dressed the two of them made their way downstairs. Robert was stood in the hallway.

  
“Your shirt is on inside out.” Bran whispered to Gendry.

  
Gendry quickly peered down and saw it wasn’t, he looked back up to see Bran grinning and Arya shaking her head.

  
“Little shit.” She said proudly to her brother. “And you shouldn’t have fallen for that.” She said in a disappointed tone to Gendry.

 

  
    “Hi Gendry.” Robert said.

  
Gendry just nodded at him and walked off towards the family room.

  
“Maybe you should follow him!” Arya prompted.

  
“Oh!” Robert said before following Gendry.

  
  
    Gendry had sat down on a sofa, Robert followed him in and sat on the one opposite him. Gendry noticed the bag he was carrying, but cast his gaze elsewhere with a bored look on his face.

  
Arya strolled in next and sat down next to Gendry curling her legs under herself.

  
“What’s in the bag?” Arya asked curiously.

  
“Oh, it’s a photo album.” Robert said taking it out of the bag.

  
Gendry felt Arya lean into his side, she knew he didn’t have any photos of his mum, only a memory of a four year old boy. He remembered that she had blonde hair and a kind face and she liked to sing to him before bed. But that’s all he remembered. Suddenly he wished Nymeria was here, he felt the need to kiss ever inch of her perfect little face and tell her over and over just how much he loved her.

  
“Do you want me to show you it?” Robert said nodding to the album. “There’s photos of my family, my parents and brothers, all of my children - even you. Actually, Arya you’re in there somewhere too.”

  
Gendry peered at Arya, he’d been unsure of this, but relaxed slightly when Robert said Arya was in there too.

  
“Sure.” Gendry said coolly to him.

 

  
    Robert came around closer to where Arya and Gendry were.

  
“Here,” Arya said motioning for Robert to take her seat next to Gendry. “I’ll kneel on the floor.”

  
Arya knelt on the floor almost wrapping one of her arms around Gendry’s leg. He nudged her shoulder lightly with a hand as thanks.

  
Robert flipped the book open. On the front page there was a diagram with names coming off it, Gendry frowned at it, he didn’t know what it was.

  
“The Baratheon Family Tree.” Arya said to him.

  
Gendry bent closer to the book, he ran his fingers along the names.

  
“That’s me.” Gendry said finding his name, he traced the lines above it back to Robert’s name which branched off to another 5 names.

  
“Bella; Mya; Edric; Barra; Theo.” He slowly read out loud.

  
“My other children.” Robert replied.

  
Gendry went back to his own name, he noticed a line extending across from him, with Arya’s name on, and a line coming down from them with Nymeria written below it.

  
“Thanks.” He murmured caressing his daughters name in the book.

 

  
    Robert began to go through the album.

  
“That’s me with my mum and dad. Caseana and Steffon.” Robert pointed to a photo of a little boy with a muscular man with their ink-black hair and deep blue eyes, the woman had a soft face looking down at the little boy, her hair was a light brown.

  
The opposite page was the same couple, now a bit older now with three children.

  
“The other two are my brothers, Stannis and Renly.” Robert said.

  
Both of the boys were clearly Baratheon’s Gendry was seeing a clear pattern here. The elder of the two boys looked very serious, his lips were thin and he wore a scowl. The younger boy, Gendry could tell nothing of, he was merely a babe. His father had probably been around 15 years old in the photo, he looked eerily like Gendry. The set of his jaw, his build and of course the Baratheon hair and eyes.

 

  
    Robert continued flicking through the album briefly stopping to explain who people were from time to time.

  
There had been several photos of a young Robert with Arya’s father, in school uniform, then in plain clothes and finally in army gear. There was also a photo of the two of them with Davos all in their army uniform. The photo made Gendry frown slightly. Arya glanced up at his face.

  
“Strange isn’t it. Your biological father, your father-in-law and the man who raised you as a teen all together. Would this have been before Gendry was even born?” Arya said curiously.

  
“I think I met Gendry’s mother a few months after this photo was taken.” Robert said cautiously.

  
Gendry ground his teeth slightly.

 

  
    The next two pages had several photos of two girls on them.

  
“That’s Mya.” Robert pointed to the girl on the left page. The photos ranged from a babe in her mothers arms, to a little girl running through a meadow with a huge mountain in the background to a young woman next to a horse. It was the last photo Gendry looked at closely.

  
“How old is she now?” Gendry asked eyeing the girl. She looked tall and athletic, her deep blue eyes were clear on the photo and her ink-back hair was short.

  
“She’s 23, she lives in the Vale with her fiancé Mychel.” Robert smiled proudly.

  
“That one is Bella. She’s a bit wild.” Robert informed him pointing to the second page. “She’s 21.”

  
The photos again ranged from a little girl in her mothers arms to a woman around Gendry’s age. Again her deep blue eyes are prominent, mostly due to the make-up she was wearing to highlight them. Unlike her sisters short hair, Bella’s black hair is long and curly. She wears dresses that are tight and revealing, and a smile is plastered over her face in each photo.

 

  
    Robert flicks the page over, Gendry was not ready for this page. He felt Arya stiffen at his feet as she took the page in. The two pages show two boys.

  
The first page is Gendry. His eyes flicker across the page, for the first time since he was four years old his eyes land on his mother. He feels Arya reach for his hand, he allows her to take it, but most of his senses have numbed, he can’t hear anything all he can see is himself as a baby, probably around six months old, on his mothers hip. In the photo Gendry’s big blue eyes are fixed on her face, the woman is peering right down the camera. Her hair is blonde like he remembers, her eyes are big and brown, she has a massive smile on her face. She looked happy. There were another three photos of Gendry on the page, all bar one had his mother in. In the final photo Gendry was about three years old and sat on his fathers shoulders.

  
“That’s the first time I’ve seen her since she died.” Gendry said to Arya.

  
His wife peered up at him sadly, she knelt towards him and reached up to wipe away tears he hadn’t realised were falling from his eyes.

  
“You haven’t got photos of her?” Robert asked.

  
Gendry shook his head.

  
“I’ll make you copies.” He said matter of factly.

  
Gendry nodded. That might be the best thing he’d ever done for him. Gendry’s eyes fell to the photo of him with his dad. He’d obviously loved and trusted him at one point.

  
“This one too, please.” He said tapping the photo of the two of them.

  
Robert nodded in response.

 

  
    “This is Edric.” he pointed to the boy on the next page. “He’s 17 now.”

  
The boy was attractive, he had the deep blue eyes and ink-black hair, in the last photo the boy looked quite fierce and strong. He wasn’t as muscular as Gendry, but well built. His hair was longer in the last photo, obviously grown out to cover up the unfortunately large ears on display in his younger photos.

 

  
    The next page showed a girl and a boy they looked like they could be twins.

  
“Barra and Theo, they’re 12.” Robert said confirming his suspicions.

  
Both children again had the Baratheon look. Gendry wondered if there were any Baratheon’s born without the black hair and blue eyes.

  
    Gendry expected that to have been the end of the book, but Robert turned the page once more. Gendry’s eyes fluttered down to find an image of him with Arya on his lap and Nymeria in her arms, both of their gazes firmly locked on their daughter.

  
“When did you take that?” Arya snapped her head up to Robert.

  
“Last week, the two of you get lost in her a lot, you don’t notice what’s going on around you.” Robert responded.

  
“I like it.” Gendry smiled at the image, “Thank you for showing me this. I’d.. I’d like to meet them all one day.” Gendry said shutting the book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22743721/chapters/54345793


End file.
